High Court sets aside labour tribunal wage award against private ferro-alloys plant
The management of the private ferro-alloys plant at Theruballi, Rayagada, challenged a 2013 Industrial Tribunal award. The award had answered the wage and additional-dearness-allowance issues in favour of the workmen but rejected their claim on time-bound promotions and grade rationalisation. The Orissa High Court held that the Tribunal had not adequately analysed the evidence or stated the workmen's entitlement, set aside the award, and remitted the reference for fresh adjudication.
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How we verify →The 2013 tribunal award stands set aside and the industrial dispute is remanded for fresh adjudication before the Tribunal-cum-Labour Court, Bhubaneswar.
What happened
The High Court recorded that the petitioner was the management of M/s. [name withheld] Ltd. at Theruballi, represented through its Vice-President (Operations), and that the opposite parties included the State labour department, the Presiding Officer of the Central Government Industrial Tribunal-cum-Labour Court at Bhubaneswar, and the workers' union.
The union raised a 21-point charter of demands on 17 December 2004 during the currency of an earlier settlement. After tripartite discussions failed and conciliation ended, the government referred the dispute as Industrial Dispute Case No. 6 of 2006. The Tribunal's award dated 10 October 2013 answered the wage and additional-dearness-allowance issues in favour of the workmen but answered the time-bound promotion and grade-rationalisation issue against them.
The High Court held that, on the issues before it, the Tribunal cited legal principles but did not adequately discuss the evidence or state the workmen's entitlement. It also found that the Tribunal had not discussed the subject matter and effect of settlements with a group of workmen, the source of its profit and burden figures, or the relevant comparative evidence. The Court set aside the award and remitted the reference for fresh adjudication, with liberty to lead further evidence.
The High Court directed the parties to appear before the Tribunal on 6 January 2026, allowed the writ petition to that extent, and ordered no costs.
What the record says
“in Industrial Dispute Case No.6 of 2006 answering the reference in favour”
W.P.(C) No.27772 of 2013, judgment dated 10.12.2025 — read the full text
A peaceful economic act
A Tribunal award addressed wage and additional-dearness-allowance terms between workmen and a private employer. The High Court set aside the award after finding that the Tribunal had not adequately assessed the evidence, and remitted the reference for fresh adjudication.
What we could not confirm
The judgment expressly identifies Theruballi as being in Rayagada district.