Steel Authority Of India Ltd.& Anr vs State Of West Bengal & Ors

The Supreme Court upheld the dismissal of a writ petition challenging the reference of an industrial dispute under Section 7-A of the Industrial Disputes Act, 1947. The Court reiterated that the workers were recognized as contract labours and could not raise a dispute for regularization after a significant delay, as established in Steel Authority of India Ltd. v. National Union Waterfront Workers (2001). The Court confirmed the High Court's ruling that the West Bengal Government was the appropriate authority but set aside the direction for absorption of contract workers as regular employees.