BACHI SINGH Vs. UNION OF INDIA

JUDGEMENT

(1.) The Association of a particular class of employees of Telecommunication Department along with one of its members are the petitioners. By the impugned judgment the Central Administrative Tribunal has asked them to avail of the remedy under the Industrial Disputes Act. The Tribunal has also held that the Agreement-cum-Understanding dated 10-3-1988 is not an order against which an application under Section 19 of the Administrative Tribunals Act can be maintained.

(2.) There was a dispute between the Union and the Management which was, according to the case of the petitioners, settled by the agreement dated 10-3-1988 before a Conciliation Officer. The last sentence of the Agreement stated that the dispute was treated as, closed.

(3.) It appears that in the Agreement it was stated that the Minister had assured his good offices for the implementation of the demands and on this assurance the federation called off the agitational programme. Is it, in these circumstances, possible to hold that this really settled the dispute, so as to make it enforceable by an application under Section 19 The answer is in the negative.