ORDER

The appellant challenges the judgment of the Patna High Court in LPA No. 51 of 1998(R). The appellant was running a printing press and was publishing a daily newspaper by name Awaz . The respondent was a Reporter of the newspaper at Ranchi. According to the appellant, he closed down the printing press and stopped the publication of the said newspaper and, therefore, the services of the respondent were not required and he was retrenched from service with effect from 1.7.89. The respondent contended that his retrenchment was effected without complying with the provisions contained in the Industrial Disputes Act, 1947 and he sought a reference under that Act. The appellant did not appear before the Labour Court to contest the proceedings. The Labour Court at Ranchi, in Ref. Case No. 12 of 1992, passed an award directing the appellant to reinstate the respondent with back wages. According to the appellant, he came to know of the award only on 28.9.1994 and thereafter he filed a writ petition before the Patna High Court. Learned Single Judge dismissed the Writ Petition mainly on the ground of delay. The appellants contention that the provisions contained in the I.D. Act had no app