New Delhi, 16 Feb

A nine-judge Supreme Court bench will re-examine the definition of the word "industry" under the Industrial Disputes Act, in a case with implications for labour relations.

The top court asked parties to update their submissions or submit fresh submissions by 28 February. It clarified that the matter will be heard on 17 and 18 March.

The issue to be adjudicated is whether the criteria laid down in the Bangalore Water Supply case (paragraphs 140–144) remain the correct legal standard for defining an 'industry'.

A bench of Chief Justice Surya Kant, and Justices Joymalya Bagchi and Vipul M Pancholi formulated questions for consideration.

"Whether the Industrial Disputes Amendment Act 1982 had not seemingly come into force and industry code had any legal impact on the expression 'industry'," the bench said.

The top court said it will also consider whether social welfare or schemes by government departments or can be construed as industrial activities under the Act.

A seven-judge Constitution bench, headed by then-Chief Justice TS Thakur, ruled in 2017 that the appeals should be heard by nine judges due to the "serious and wide-ranging implications" of the issue.

In May 2005, a five-judge bench of the Supreme Court referred to a larger bench the question of how “industry” should be interpreted in the 1947 Act, citing conflicting rulings and legislative inaction.

The issue arose after a three-judge bench noted a conflict between a 1996 judgment and a contrary 2001 ruling by a two-judge bench.