A nine-judge Constitution bench of the Supreme Court has reserved its verdict on the contentious issue of defining the word 'industry' under the Industrial Disputes Act, 1947.
The bench, led by Chief Justice Surya Kant, heard submissions from various lawyers, including Attorney General R Venkataramani, during a three-day-long hearing.
The bench will examine the legal correctness of a 1978 judgment that gave an expansive interpretation of the term 'industry' to govern labour relations.
The 1978 judgment brought millions of employees in hospitals, educational institutions, clubs, and government welfare departments under the protection of the Industrial Disputes Act, 1947.
The top court had formulated broad issues to be adjudicated by the nine-judge bench, including whether the test laid down in the 1978 judgment to determine if an undertaking or enterprise falls within the definition of 'industry' lays down correct law.
