Dismissed¶50

M/S Bengal Lamps Ltd. v. State of Karnataka

Karnataka HC1 Jun 2026WA/205/2024

Case brief

AI extract

What is this about?

Bengal Lamps Ltd v. State of Karnataka and M/s Bengal Lamps Workers Union, WA No. 205 of 2024 (L-RES), Division Bench, High Court of Karnataka at Bengaluru (D K Singh & Rajesh Rai K JJ.), judgment dated 01.06.2026 (NC: 2026:KHC:25551-DB). Dismisses intra-court appeal against single-judge direction (order dt. 21.11.2023 in WP No.21017/2022) to the Deputy Labour Commissioner to open fresh conciliation between the workers' union and Godrej Properties Limited, purchaser of the appellant's properties; appellant held not aggrieved. Keywords: Article 226, Karnataka High Court Act S.4, industrial dispute ID No.134/2022, conciliation, aggrieved party, labour dispute, withdrawal of reference.

What did the court decide?

None to the appellant; writ appeal dismissed and pending interlocutory applications disposed of as not surviving for consideration.

M/S Bengal Lamps Ltd. Vs State of Karnataka — Company and Corporate | Karnataka HC (2026)

What the court decided

AI extract

Outcome

None to the appellant; writ appeal dismissed and pending interlocutory applications disposed of as not surviving for consideration.

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Issue for consideration

Whether the directions issued by the learned Single Judge to the Deputy Labour Commissioner to open fresh conciliation proceedings (impugned order dated 21/11/2023 in WP No.21017/2022) should be set aside in this writ appeal. +1 more

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Court's answer

Seeing no substance or merit in the writ appeal, the Division Bench dismissed it; consequently, pending interlocutory applications do not survive and stand disposed of.

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Ratio / Principle

The appellant cannot be aggrieved by the impugned order: it has already disposed of the properties in favour of M/s. Godrej Properties Limited, and any negotiations or dispute would be between the Labour Union and M/s. Godrej Properties Limited, in which the appellant has nothing to do.

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Detailed headnote1 paragraphs

Writ appeal under S.4 of the Karnataka High Court Act by M/s Bengal Lamps Ltd against the order dated 21.11.2023 in W.P.No.21017/2022, whereby the learned Single Judge, in exercise of powers under Article 226 of the Constitution, directed the Deputy Labour Commissioner to open fresh conciliation proceedings between M/s Bengal Lamps Workers Union and M/s Godrej Properties Limited, the purchaser of the appellant's properties. Held (per D K Singh J.), dismissing the appeal: the appellant, having already disposed of the properties in favour of Godrej Properties Limited, cannot be aggrieved by the direction; any negotiations or dispute lie between the Labour Union and Godrej Properties Limited, in which the appellant has nothing to do; the appeal lacks substance and merit. Context: the reference in ID No.134/2022 (order of reference dated 20.07.2022) stood withdrawn following the settlement between the company and the Union acknowledged by 444 workmen, pursuant to which the writ petition had been allowed. Pending interlocutory applications disposed of as not surviving.

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NC: 2026:KHC:25551-DB WA No. 205 of 2024

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HC-KAR

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IN THE HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA AT BENGALURU DATED THIS THE 1^ST DAY OF JUNE, 2026

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PRESENT

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THE HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE D K SINGH

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AND

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THE HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE RAJESH RAI K

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WRIT APPEAL NO. 205 OF 2024 (L-RES)

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BETWEEN:

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M/S BENGAL LAMPS LTD A COMPANY INCORPORATED UNDER THE PROVISIONS OF THE COMPANIES ACT, 1913,

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HAVING ITS REGISTERED OFFICE AT, NO.137, PRINCE GULAM HUSSAIN SHAH ROAD, KOLKATA - 700032.

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Digitally signed by VASANTHA KUMARY B K Location: HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA

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AND ONE OF ITS OFFICE AT 20KM,OLD MADRAS ROAD, BENGALURU 560049, REPRESENTED BY ITS DIRECTOR, MS RAMONA ADHIKARI.

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(BY SRI. S.SRIRANGA, SENIOR COUNSEL FOR SMT. SUMANA NAGANAND., ADVOCATE)

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…APPELLANT

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AND:

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STATE OF KARNATAKA REPRESENTED BY ITS SECRETARY, DEPARTMENT OF LABOUR, GOVERNMENT OF KARNATAKA, SECRETARIAT, VIKASA SOUDHA, BENGALURU 560001.

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NC: 2026:KHC:25551-DB WA No. 205 of 2024

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HC-KAR

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M/S BENGAL LAMPS WORKERS UNION REPRESENTED BY MR ABDULLA SAB, GENERAL SECRETARY, 3RD MAIN ROAD, GOVERNMENT COLLEGE ROAD, KUVEMPU NAGAR, HOSAKOTE - 562114.

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…RESPONDENTS

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(BY SRI. M.N.SUDEV HEGDE, AGA FOR R1; SRI. JEEVAN J NEERALAGI, ADVOCATE FOR R2)

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THIS WRIT APPEAL IS FILED U/S 4 OF THE KARNATAKA HIGH COURT ACT PRAYING TO SET ASIDE THE DIRECTIONS ISSUED BY THE LEARNED SINGLE JUDGE TO THE DEPUTY LABOUR COMMISSIONER TO OPEN FRESH CONCILIATION PROCEEDINGS VIDE THE IMPUGNED ORDER DATED 21/11/2023 IN WP NO.21017/2022.

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THIS APPEAL, COMING ON FOR HEARING, THIS DAY, JUDGMENT WAS DELIVERED THEREIN AS UNDER:

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CORAM: HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE D K SINGH and HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE RAJESH RAI K

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ORAL JUDGMENT

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(PER: HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE D K SINGH)

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The present intra Court appeal has been filed

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impugning the judgment and order dated 21.11.2023 passed by the writ Court in W.P.No.21017/2022 (L-RES).

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2. The writ petition was filed by the appellant

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impugning the reference made by the State Government in ID No.134/2022 vide order of reference dated 20.07.2022.

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NC: 2026:KHC:25551-DB WA No. 205 of 2024

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HC-KAR

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3. The ground taken in the writ petition was that the Labour Union consisting of 444 workmen had acknowledged the settlement arrived at between M/s. Bengal Lamps Limited and M/s. Bengal Lamps Workers Union and in pursuance of the said settlement, amount as agreed was paid. In the settlement, the Labour Union had agreed to withdraw I.D.No.134/2022. However, since the Labour Union did not withdraw the reference, the writ petition was filed. The said writ petition has been allowed and the reference

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I.D.No.134/2022 now stands withdrawn.

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4. The properties of M/s.Bengal Lamps Limited have been purchased by M/s. Godrej Properties Limited. After the properties have been purchased by M/s.Godrej Properties Limited, the Labour Union has approached the Deputy Labour Commissioner to facilitate and complete the negotiation process between the Labour Union and M/s. Godrej properties Limited. However, the Deputy Labour Commissioner has issued an endorsement stating

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4 - NC: 2026:KHC:25551-DB WA No. 205 of 2024

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HC-KAR

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that it would not be possible to proceed further in the matter, in view of the fact that the writ petition stood allowed and the earlier reference ID No.134/2022 stood withdrawn.

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5. In order to do complete justice, the learned Single Judge in exercise of powers under Article 226 of the Constitution of India directed the Deputy Labour Commissioner to open a fresh conciliation proceedings between the Labour Union and M/s. Godrej Properties Limited.

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6. We fail to understand that by the impugned order how M/s. Bengal Lamps Limited can be aggrieved. The negotiations, if any, would be between the Labour Union and M/s. Godrej Properties Limited. M/s. Bengal Lamps Limited has already disposed of the properties in favour of M/s. Godrej Properties Limited, and dispute if any, would be between the Labour Union and M/s. Godrej Properties Limited, in which the appellant has nothing to do.

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NC: 2026:KHC:25551-DB WA No. 205 of 2024

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HC-KAR

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7. We therefore, see no substance/merit in this writ

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appeal, which is why the writ appeal is dismissed .

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