CHRISTIAN MEDICAL COLLEGE vs E.S.I.C.

The Supreme Court upheld the applicability of the Employees State Insurance Act, 1948 (ESI Act) to the Equipment Maintenance Department of a Medical College, ruling that it is part of the hospital and not a separate entity. The Court emphasized that the department's primary function is to support the main institution's educational purpose, thus falling under the ESI Act's purview as per Section 2(12). The appeal against the High Court's decision was dismissed, affirming the lower courts' findings that the department is not a factory and is integral to the hospital's operations.