1. The Writ Petition is to quash the award of the Labour Court, Madras made in I.D. No. 239 of 1977 dated 16th July, 1979. The point referred to for adjudication found in para. 6 of the award is as follows :

"Whether the action of the management in having withdrawn the concession of the General Secretary of Tamil Nadu Electricity Board Accounts Subordinates Union and the Joint Secretary of the Tamil Nadu Electricity Workers Federation being allowed to attend to full time union work from 31st March, 1976, is justified; and to what relief they would be entitled".

A few facts and sequences leading to this dispute can be stated. By Board's proceedings dated 18th January, 1973, the following order was passed :

"The Tamil Nadu Electricity Board Accounts Subordinates Union, which is a recognised union under the Code of Discipline in Industry has requested that the General Secretary of the Union may be deputed for full time Union work, and that Thiru S. V. Angappan who is an Accountant in the Office of the Chief Controller of Accounts and who has been elected as the General Secretary of the above union, for the year 1972 in the General Council Meeting held on 4th June, 1972, may be relie