BHAVNAGAR MUNICIPALITY vs ALIBHAI KARIMBHAI & OTHERS

The Supreme Court held that the retrenchment of workers involved in an industrial dispute, pending before the Tribunal, contravened Section 33(1)(a) of the Industrial Disputes Act. The Court emphasized that such contravention does not automatically lead to reinstatement; rather, the Tribunal must adjudicate the merits of the dispute. The appeal was allowed, restoring the respondents' complaint for proper disposal on merits, as the Tribunal had erred in ordering reinstatement without adjudicating the matter.