O J ANTONY Vs. STATE OF KERALA

JUDGEMENT

(1.) The sole question that falls for decision in this writ petition is whether a writ of mandamus or direction to the 1st respondent to consider the claims of Judicial Magistrates, who have held office for not less than seven years, for appointment to be Presiding Officers of the Labour Courts, could be issued We have heard Sri T. P. Kelu Nambiar, the counsel for the petitioners, and Sri C. P. Sudhakara Prasad, the counsel for additional respondents 3 and 4, at considerable length. The legal question, in our view, admits of no doubt, as it has been clearly laid down in sub-s.(3) of S.7 of the Industrial Disputes Act as follows: