UNION OF INDIA Vs. ANGLO FRENCH TEXTILES LIMITED

JUDGEMENT

(1.) The applicant is the Union of India, represented by the Secretary, Department of Textiles, Ministry of Commerce, New Delhi. The application is laid under s. 15A of the Industries (Development and Regulation) Act, 1951 (hereinafter referred to as " the Act "). It is now well-publicised that M/s. Anglo-French Textiles Ltd., Mudaliarpet, Pondicherry, had closed its business that 7, 000 workmen are left jobless and that the economy of the particular part of the country has suffered to a great extent. It is in this background the applicant has come forward with this application seeking permission to investigate/cause an investigation to be made in regard to the possibility of restarting the manufacturing unit of the company and to give such other direction or directions as this court may deem fit : The facts as such are not in dispute. None the less the objection is that the application is not maintainable under s. 15A of the Act. The above objection finds support from the decision of the Calcutta High Court reported in Union of India v. Shalimar Works Ltd. It is, therefore, useful to refer to s 15A of the Act, which runs as follows :