State of West Bengal - Act
West Bengal Industrial Disputes Rules, 1958
WEST BENGAL
India
India
West Bengal Industrial Disputes Rules, 1958
Rule WEST-BENGAL-INDUSTRIAL-DISPUTES-RULES-1958 of 1958
- Published on 15 November 1958
- Commenced on 15 November 1958
- [This is the version of this document from 15 November 1958.]
- [Note: The original publication document is not available and this content could not be verified.]
058.
1. Short title and commencement.
- These rules may be called the West Bengal Industrial Disputes Rules, 1958.2. Definitions.
- In these rules, unless there in anything repugnant in the subject or context,2A. Employer.
- For the purpose of the Act and these rules, 'employer' in relation to an industry carried on by or under the authority of a department of the State Government shall be the officer in charge of that industry.3. Application.
4. Attestation of Application.
- The application and the statement accompanying it shall be signed5. Notification of appointment of Board, Court, Labour Court or Tribunal.
- The appointment of a Board, Court, Labour Court or Tribunal, together with names of persons constituting the Board, Court, labour Court or Tribunal shall be notified in the Official Gazette.6. Notice to parties to nominate representatives.
7. Arbitration Agreement.
8. Attestation of Arbitration Agreement. The arbitration agreement shall be signed.
- (a) in the case of an employer, by the employer himself or his authorised agent present at the meeting ;8A. Notification regarding arbitration agreement by majority of each party.
- When an industrial dispute has been referred to arbitration and the State Government is satisfied that the persons making the reference represent majority of each party it shall publish a notification in this behalf in the "Official Gazette" within one month from the date of receipt of the arbitration agreement by the Government, for the information of the employers and the worker who are not parties to the arbitration agreement but are concerned in the dispute.9. Conciliation proceedings in public utility service.
10. Conciliation proceedings in non-public utility service.
- Where the Conciliation Officer receives any information about an existing or apprehended industrial dispute which does not relate to a public utility service and he considers it necessary to intervene in the dispute, he shall commence conciliation proceedings.11. Meeting of representative of parties.
- The Conciliation Officer may hold a meeting of the representatives of both parties jointly or of each party separately at such places and such times as he may deem fit.12. Conduct of proceedings and notice for production of documents.
13. Place and time of hearing.
- The sittings of a Board, Court, Labour Court or Tribunal or of an Arbitrator shall be held at such times and at such places as the Chairman or the Presiding Officer or the Arbitrator. as the case may be, may fix and the Chairman, Presiding Officer or the Arbitrator, as the case may be, shall inform the parties of the same in such manner as he thinks fit.14. Quorum for Boards and Courts.
- The quorum necessary to constitute sittings of a Board or Court shall be as follows :15. Evidence.
- A Board, Court, Labour Court or Tribunal or an Arbitrator may accept, admit or call for evidence at any stage of the proceedings before it/him and in such manner as it/he may think fit.16. Administration of Oath.
- Any member of a Board or Court or Presiding Officer of a Labour Court or Tribunal or an Arbitrator may administer an Oath.16A. Authorising Head Clerk or other clerk to administer oath.
- The Presiding Officer of an Industrial Tribunal or Labour Court, as the case may be. may authorise Head Clerk or where there is no Head Clerk, its senior most clerk to administer oaths for the purpose of making affidavits.17. Summons by a Board or Court.
- A summons issued by a Board of Conciliation or Court of Enquiry shall be in Form D-1 and may require any person to produce before it any books, papers or other documents and things in the possession of or under the control of such person in any way relating to the matter under investigation by the Board or Court which the Board or Court thinks necessary for the purposes of such investigation.18. Service of Summons or notice.
- Subject to the provisions contained in rule 19 any notice. summons, process or order issued by a Board, Court, Labour Court, Tribunal or an Arbitrator empowered to issue such notice, summons, process or order may be served either personally or by registered post or in any other manner as prescribed under the Code of Civil Procedure, 1908.19. Manner of service in the case of numerous persons as parties to a dispute.
20. Procedure at the first sitting.
- At the first sitting of a Board of Conciliation or Court of Enquiry, the Chairman or the Presiding Officer, as the case may be, shall call upon the parties in such order as he may think fit to state their case.20A. Notice to the parties.
- Upon receipt of a reference from the Government under section 10, the Industrial Tribunal/Labour Court concerned shall issue notices in Form D-2 upon the parties to the dispute as mentioned in the order of reference, requiring them to appear before it on a specified date either by themselves or through their authorised representatives for necessary directions.20B. Statement of case or written statement.
20C. Inspection of documents.
- [(1) Within 14 days from the date of filing of the written statement by the second party, the parties shall file a list disclosing the documents which are in their possession and power relating to the matter or matters in dispute and upon which they want to rely, and each party shall give a notice to the other of the date on which its list is filed.20D. Addition of issues or parties to the proceedings.
20E. Summoning and attendances of witnesses.
- The Industrial Tribunal/Labour Court may at any stage of the proceedings. either upon or without an application by any party and on such terms as may appear to the Industrial Tribunal/Labour Court just, issue summonses to any person in Form D-4 either to give evidence or to produce documents or for both purposes on a specified date, time and place.20F. Fixation of date and place of final hearing.
20G. Alteration of date or enlargement of time.
20H. Procedure at the final hearing.
21. Board, Court, Labour Court, Tribunal, or Arbitrator may proceed ex-parte.
- If without sufficient cause being shown, any party to a proceeding before a Board, Court, Labour Court, Tribunal or Arbitrator fails to attend or to be represented, the Board, Court, Labour Court, Tribunal or Arbitrator may proceed as if such party had duly attended or had been represented.22. Procedure when both parties fail to appear.
- If without sufficient cause being shown both the parties fail to appear before a Board, Court, Labour Court, Tribunal or Arbitrator, the Board, Court, Labour Court, Tribunal or Arbitrator may submit a suitable report to the State Government and the Labour Court, Tribunal or an Arbitrator may submit an award to the State Government on the footing that the industrial dispute under reference is no longer in existence.23. Power of entry and inspection.
- A Board or Court or any member thereof or a Conciliation Officer, a Labour Court or Tribunal under the Act, at any time during hours of work, after he has given reasonable notice, enter any building, factory, workshop or other place or premises whatsoever; and inspect the same or any work machinery, appliance or article therein or interrogate any person therein in respect of anything situated therein or any matter relevant to the subject-matter of the investigation, enquiry or adjudication.24. Power of Boards, Courts, Labour Courts and Tribunals.
- In addition to the powers conferred by the Act, Boards, Courts, Labour Courts and Tribunals shall have the same powers as are vested in a Civil Court under the Code of Civil Procedure, 1908, when trying a suit in respect of the following matters namely :24A. Determination of costs.
- In determining the costs of, and incidental to, any proceeding before a Labour Court or an Industrial Tribunal, such Labour Court or Industrial Tribunal25. Assessors.
- Where assessors are appointed to advice a Tribunal under sub-section (4) of section 7A or by the Court, Labour Court or Tribunal under sub-section (5) of section 11, the Court, Labour Court, or Tribunal, as the case may be, shall, in relation to the proceedings before it, obtain the advice of such assessors, but such advice shall not be binding on it.26. Decision by majority.
- All questions arising for decision at any meeting of a Board of Court, save when the Court consists of one person, shall be decided by a majority of the votes of the members thereof (including the Chairman) present at the meeting. In the event of an equality of votes the Chairman shall also have a casting vote,27. Correction of errors and review of an award.
- The Labour Court, Industrial Tribunal or Arbitrator may -28. Right of representatives.
- The representatives of the parties appearing before a Board, Court, Labour Court, Tribunal or an Arbitrator shall have the right of examination, cross-examination, re-examination and of addressing the Board, Court, Labour Court, Tribunal or Arbitrator when an evidence has been called.29. Parties bound by acts of representatives.
- A party appearing by an authorised representative shall be bound by the acts of such representative.30. Proceedings before a Board, Court, Labour Court or Tribunal.
- The proceedings before a Board, Court. Labour Court or Tribunal shall be held in public :Provided that the Board, Court or Labour Court or Tribunal may at any stage direct that any witness shall be examined or its proceedings shall be held in camera.Remuneration of Arbitrators, Chairman and Members of Court, Presiding Officers of Labour Courts and Tribunals. Assessors, witness and staff.31. Travelling Allowance.
- The Chairman or a member of a Board or Court or the Presiding Officer or an Assessor of a Labour Court or Tribunal or an Arbitrator, if a non-official, shall be entitled to draw travelling allowance and halting allowance for any journey performed by him in connection with the performance of his duties at the rates admissible and subject to the conditions applicable to a Government servant of the first grade under the Fundamental and Subsidiary Rules.32. Fees.
- The Chairman and a member of a Board or Court, the Presiding Officer and an Assessor of a Labour Court or Tribunal, wherever he is not a salaried Officer of Government may be granted such fees as may be sanctioned by the state Government in each case.33. Expenses of witnesses.
- Every person who is summoned and duly attends or otherwise appears as a witness before a Board, Court, Labour Court, Industrial Tribunal or an Arbitrator, shall be entitled to an allowance for diet, travelling and other expenses according, in the City of Calcutta, to the rules prescribed for witnesses in the High Court and, elsewhere, to the rules prescribed in respect of witnesses in the District Courts by the Civil Procedure Code and the High Court's Civil Rules and Orders and he may in the discretion of such Board, Court, Labour Court, Industrial Tribunal or Arbitrator, also be allowed compensation for loss actually suffered by reason of his attendance, as in the case of witnesses before the Civil Court. A person examined as an expert may be allowed, in addition to travelling and other expenses, reasonable remuneration for the time occupies both in giving evidence and in performing any work of an expert character necessary for the case. Where he is a Government servant, the rules contained in the High Court's Civil Rules and Orders shall apply.Notice of Change34. Notice of Change.
- Any employer intending to effect any change in the conditions of service applicable to any workman in respect of any matter specified in the Fourth Schedule shall give notice of such intention in Form E.35. Manner of service of notice of change.
36. Constitution.
37. Number of members.
- The number of members constituting the committee shall be fixed so as to afford representation to the various categories, groups and classes of workmen engaged in, and to the sections, shops or departments of the establishment :Provided that the total number of members shall not exceed twentyProvided further that the number of representatives of the workmen shall not be less than the number of representatives of the employer.38. Representatives of employer.
- Subject to the provisions of these rules, the representatives of the employer shall be nominated by the employer and shall, as far as possible, be officials in direct touch with or associated with the working of the establishment.39. Consultation with trade unions.
40. Groups of workmen's representatives.
- On receipt of the information called for under rule 39. the employer shall provide for the election of workmen's representatives on the committee in two groups - (1) those to be elected by the workmen of the establishment who are members of the registered trade union or unions, and (2) those to be elected by the workmen of the establishment who are not members of the registers trade union or unions, bearing the same proportion to each other as the union members in the establishment bear to the non-members :Provided that where more than half the workmen are members of the anion or any one of the unions, no such division shall be made :Provided that where a registered trade union neglects or fails to furnish the information called for under sub-rule (1) of rule 39 within one month of the date of the notice requiring it to furnish such information such union shall for the purpose of this rule be treated as if it did not existProvided further that where any reference has been made by the employer under sub-rule (2) of rule 39, the election shall be held on receipt of Vie decision of the Labour Commissioner.41. Electoral Constituencies.
- Where under the rule 40, the workmen's representatives are to be elected two groups, the workmen entitled to vote shall be divided into two electoral constituencies, the one consisting of those who are members of a registered trade union and the other of those who are not :Provided that the employer may, if he thinks fit, sub-divide the two electoral constituencies and direct that the workmen shall vote in either by groups, sections, shops or departments.42. Qualifications of candidates for election.
- Any workman of not less than 19 years of age and with a service of not less than one year in the establishment may if nominated as provided in these rules be a candidate for election as a representative of the workmen on the committeeProvided that the service qualification shall not apply to the first election in an establishment which has been in existence for less than a year.43. Qualification for voters.
- All workmen, other than casual employees, who are not less than 18 years of age and who have put in not less than six month's continuous service in the establishment shall be entitled to vote in the election of the representative of workmen.44. Procedure for election.
45. Nomination of candidates for election.
46. Scrutiny of nomination papers.
47. Voting in election.
48. Arrangements for election.
- The employer shall be responsible for all arrangements in connection with the election :Provided that where there is a dispute or an apprehended dispute or where either the employer or the workers make a specific request to the Labour Commissioner, the Labour CommisSioner shall depute an officer to supervise the election.49. Officers of the Committee.
50. Term of Office.
51. Vacancies.
- In the event of the workmen's representative ceasing to be a member under sub-rule (3) of rule 50 or ceasing to be employed in the establishment or in the event of his resignation, death or otherwise his successor shall be elected in accordance with the provisions of these rules from the same group, section, shop or department to which the member vacating the seat belonged.52. Power to co-opt.
- The Committee shall have the right to co-opt in a consultative capacity persons employed in the establishment having particular or special knowledge of a matter under discussion. Such co-opted member shall not be entitled to vote and shall be present at meetings only for the period during which the particular question is before the committee.53. Meetings.
54. Facilities for meeting etc.
54A. Functions of the Works Committee.
- The functions of the Works Committee shall relate amongst others to the following matters, namely :-55. Dissolution of Works Committee.
- The State Government or where the power under section 3 is delegated under section 39 to t5e Labour Commissioner, the Labour Commissioner may, after making such inquiry as it or he may deem fit, dissolve any Works Committee at any time by an order in writing, if it or he is satisfied that the Committee has not been constituted in accordance with these rules or for any other adequate reason :Provided that were a Works Committee is dissolved under this rule, the employer may take steps to reconstitute the committee in accordance with these rules.Miscellaneous fees for copies of awards and other documents56. Copies and application for copies.
57. Copies to be issued on stamped paper.
58. Charge to be made for copies.
59. Certification fee.
- In the case of certified copies the court-fee chargeable under the Court fees Act, 1870 (VII of 1870), shall be levied by affixing the necessary stamp to the first folio of the copy or to the map or the plan, as the case may be, and such court-fee stamp shall be punched with a square punch and signed across by the certifying officer.60. Procedure for supplying court-fees, folios, etc. by the parties.
61. Delivery of copy.
- The copy shall be ready for delivery to the applicant within seven days from the date of his filing the requisites in full. If the copy be not taken delivery of within two months from its being ready for delivery, the copy and the unused stamps shall be liable for destruction. When the copy together with the unused folios, etc., is delivered to the applicant the signature therefor and the date of delivery shall be taken on the back of the application. The counterfoil shall at the same time be taken back from the applicant and kept attached to the application.62. Register of application for copies.
- All applications for copies shall be numbered consecutively and entered in a register maintained for the purpose in Form H.63. Register of Court-fees.
- In order to maintain a proper account of all court-fees received, a court fee register shall be maintained in Form I by the Office of the Chairman for entering therein the court-fee application for copies. Court-fees shall be cancelled be punching in the manner laid down in section 30 of the Court fees Act, 1870 (VII of 1870).64. Certificate on copies.
65. Urgent copies.
- Application for urgent copies may be made at any time during the office hours. Such copies shall ordinarily be ready for delivery on the day following the date of filing of the urgent fees and other requisites. The additional fees for urgent copies shall be Rs. 1 up to copies with 600 words or less. For copies exceeding 600 words an additional fee of four annas [40 paise] for every 150 words or fraction thereof is to be filed. Such fees are to be filed by means of court-fee stamp to be fixed to the application for copy or to a separate blank sheet of paper.66. Copies required by public officers.
- No fees are to be demanded for copying or typing papers required by public officers for public purposes. In such cases the copies are to be prepared on plain paper.67. No copy of confidential documents shall be given.
- No copy shall be granted of any notes recorded by a Labour Court or Tribunal for its own use or of any exhibit or document which the Labour Court or Tribunal may consider to be confidential.67A. Classification of records of Industrial Tribunals and Labour Courts.
67B. Preservation of records of Industrial Tribunals and Labour Courts.
| Files | Period of preservation |
| (1) | (2) |
| File A | Six years form the date of publication of the award in the“Calcutta Gazette” or in cases of appeal, six yearsfrom the date of judgment or order of the High court or theSupreme Court as the case may be |
| File B | Three years from the date of publication of the award in the“Calcutta Gazette' |
| File C | One year from the date of publication of the award in the“Calcutta Gazette”. |
| File D | Four years from the date of the last order passed. |