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18. Not only that, it is a well-settled principle that if an act is required to be performed by a private person within a specified time, the same would primarily be mandatory, but when a public functionary is required to perform a pubic function within a timeframe, the same will be held to be directory unless the consequences therefor are specific, as held recently by the Supreme Court in the case of Nasiruddin, supra.

19. Simply because, the 'Act' is a beneficial legislation, it does not mean that anything and everything found in the Act requires to be interpreted in favour of workman. It is for the reason that the Act is not entirely a beneficial enactment for workmen only but also for the benefit of employer and as such, balance has to be struck while interpreting provision of the Act (See: case of Nasiruddin, supra).