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M.N. Clubwala v. Fida Hussain Saheb, 1964

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M.N. Clubwala v. Fida Hussain Saheb, (1964) 6 SCR 642, 651 This case interpretation/case summary is written by Ms. Swati Sharma a student at the Faculty of Law (Delhi University). If you also want to publish your articles or case interpretations/summaries, send your work to  niyamskanoon09@gmail.com . Case Details PETITIONER:  MRS. M. N. CLUBWALA AND ANR. Vs. RESPONDENT: FIDA HUSSAIN SAHEB AND ORS. DATE OF JUDGMENT: 03/02/1964 BENCH: MUDHOLKAR, J.R. SUBBARAO, K. CITATION: 1965 AIR 610 1964 SCR (6) 642 Introduction   The case of M.N. Clubwala v. Fida Hussain Saheb (1964) under the Delhi Rent Control Act is a landmark judgment that clarifies the distinction between a lease and a license and the jurisdiction of the Rent Controller. The primary issue in this case was whether the agreements between the landlord (M.N. Clubwala) and the shopkeepers (Fida Hussain Saheb) created a lease or a license.  Facts of the Case M.N. Clubwala (Landlord) used his building as market by

Rangaswami v. Registrar of Trade Unions, AIR 1962

Rangaswami v. Registrar of Trade Unions, AIR 1962||Case Summary 

Facts

  1. Persons employed at Raj Bhavan of Guindy and Ootacamund, Tamilnadu as domestic helpers, gardeners, and maistries formed a Trade union and applied for its registration before the registrar of Trade Union, Madras.
  2. Although all of them were appointed and controlled by the Comptroller, only the domestic helpers were entitled to the pension.

Case History

  1. The Registrar rejected the application for registration on the ground that members were not associated with a trade or business, which is essential to form a trade union as per S.2(h) of the Trade Union Act, 1926.
  2. The petitioner made an appeal under S.11 of the Trade Union Act of 1926.

Petitioner Contention

  1. The term "Workmen" means one employed in an industry.
  2. Although the definition of an Industry is not given in the Trade Union Act Industry, as per S.2(j) of the Industrial Dispute Act includes the services provided by the workers as they were not only serving to the Governor but also to the visitors and guests.
  3. As the Comptroller directs the workers to sell the surplus produce of the garden in the Raj Bhavan, the activity of the employer comes within the scope of trade or business.

Issues

  1. Whether the said employees of the Raj Bhavan included within the meaning of the workmen for registration as a trade union? 
  2. Whether the decision of the Registrar was right? 

Ratio Decidendi

  1. Government employees regulated by statutory rules can not form a union to get registered as a trade union.
  2. Trade Unions as per S.2(h) of the Trade Union Act, 1926 are restricted to a trade or business i.e. a commercial undertaking.
  3. The Trade Union Act and Industrial Dispute Act cannot be read together. Even if we read S.2(j) of the Industrial Dispute Act with S.2(j) of the Trade Union Act, the services provided by the workers are personal in nature, as the employers were not cooperating with the employees to achieve a particular result.
  4. The Court in the case of State of Bombay v. Hospital Mazdoor Sabha, 1960 observed:-
    1. Although the term "Industry" under S.2(j) is a wider term, it includes only such undertaking in which both the employers and employees are engaged with a common object to achieve a particular result.
  5. In the Jambunna Coal Mine No Liability v. Victorian Coal Miners Association the Court observed that there can be no industry where the employer and the employees are not working to achieve the same result. 

Decision

  1. The said employees of the Raj Bhavan are not included within the meaning of the workmen for registration as a trade union.
  2. The decision of the Registrar was right
  3. The petition was dismissed by the honorable Court.

Relevant Laws

  1. Section 4 of the Trade Union Act, 1926 
    1. Any seven or more members of a trade union may apply for registration of the trade union after fulfilling the provisions of the Act with respect to registration.
  2. Sec 2(h) of the Act defines the Trade Union Act 1926-
    1. Trade Union means any combination formed with the objective to regulate the relations between workmen and employers or between workmen or workmen or between employers and employers or to impose restrictive conditions on the conduct of any trade or business which also includes the federation of two or more Trade Union.
  3. The definition of Industry in the Industrial Dispute Act- 
    1. Any business, trade, undertaking, manufacture, or calling of employers and includes any calling, service, employment, handicraft or industrial occupation, or hobby/ avocation of workmen. 

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