FEDERAL BANK LTD Vs. ABRAHAM

JUDGEMENT

(1.) Short question emerging for consideration in the above Original Petitions, all of them filed by the same petitioner, a banking company having operation in more than one State, is over the jurisdiction of Labour Court competent to entertain labour disputes in relation to that banking company falling under S. 33C(2) of the Industrial Disputes Act, for short the Act. In respect of petitioner banking company which is the appropriate Government under the aforesaid sub-section of the Act, whether it is the Central Government or State Government, is the question posed for consideration to determine the competent Labour Court having jurisdiction to entertain the claim raised under S. 33C(2) of the Act. Though notice was ordered to the respondents, none of them, after service, have responded.

(2.) Some employees of petitioner banking company have raised claims for money or benefit which is capable of being computed in terms of money from the employer moving applications under S. 33C(2) of the Act before the Labour Court, Kannur. Petitioner banking company asserts of having operations in more than one State, and not confined to State of Kerala alone. So much so, labour dispute in relation to petitioner banking company falling under S. 33C(2) of the Act can be entertained and decided only by the Labour Court specified by the Central Government, is the case of petitioner to challenge the entertain ability of the claim applications moved by its employees before the Labour Court, which have been taken on file by that court for inquiry.

(3.) Sub-Section (2) of S. 33C of the Act reads thus:-