This is an application made under Article 226 of the Constitution to issue such directions, writs or orders as may be deemed appropriate to the case and in particular to call for the records of the proceedings in Industrial Dispute No. 5 of 1951 before the Industrial Tribunal, Madras, and to quash the award passed therein and the reference on which it is based and pass such further or other orders as may be deemed fit. The petitioner is the Indian Metal and Metallurgical "Corporation, a partnership firm and the affidavit in support of the application has been filed by one of its partners. The firm carries on inter alia the business of manufacture of brass, copper and aluminium sheets at Mettur. It has; also a factory at Tondiarpet in Madras where brass and stainless steel utensils are manufactured. On 3rd February, 1951, the management put up a notice as. follows:-

"The factory at Mettur Dam is closed and hence the raw materials for this factory are not coming. Owing to the serious developments in the foreign countries, the present condition in the-local market is far unfavourable to work. Further still many machineries are to be installed for economising production. So we ar