INDIAN HUME PIPE CO. LTD. vs THEIR WORKMEN

The Supreme Court held that the Industrial Tribunal is not concerned with the motives behind a factory's closure once it is established that the closure occurred, as per the principles established in previous cases such as Pipraich Sugar Mills Ltd. v. P.S.M. Mazdoor Union. The Court ruled that the Tribunal cannot question the bona fides of the closure or apply the 'last come first go' principle unless it was explicitly raised in the written statement by the Union. Consequently, the Tribunal's finding of illegal retrenchment and closure was upheld, and the workers were deemed to still be in service with entitlement to wages and allowances.