Iti Employees Union Vs Union of India — Company and Corporate | Karnataka HC (2026)

Iti Employees Union Vs Union of India — Company and Corporate | Karnataka HC (2026)

What the court decided

AI extract

Outcome

Writ petition disposed of (not dismissed on merits; did not survive due to subsequent developments). Petitioners No.2 to 4 directed to report to the transferred place within fifteen days from 27.01.2026, and respondents directed to pay balance salary, if any due, within fifteen days. The prayer to quash the transfer and relieving orders was not pursued as the impugned transfer order had been recalled and replaced by a fresh order dated 27.01.2026.

Issue for consideration

Whether the Transfer Order No. 156/2025 dated 02.12.2025 and the Relieving Order No. 03/2026 dated 03.01.2026 transferring petitioners No.2 to 4 to Rae Bareli were arbitrary, illegal and amounted to unfair labour practice under the Industrial Disputes Act, 1947, warranting their quashing. +1 more

Court's answer

Petitioners No.2 to 4 will have to report to the transferred place within fifteen days from 27.01.2026.

Ratio / Principle

In view of the subsequent developments after the filing of the writ petition (payment of salary arrears and recall of the impugned transfer order with issuance of a fresh transfer order dated 27.01.2026), the writ petition does not survive for consideration.

Key takeaways

The respondents shall pay the balance salary, if any due, to petitioners No.2 to 4 within fifteen days.ratio¶60

Detailed headnote1 paragraphs

High Court of Karnataka at Bengaluru (Anant Ramanath Hegde, J.), Oral Order dated 02.02.2026 in WP No. 934 of 2026 (L-RES). The ITI Employees Union and three ITI Limited employees challenged Transfer Order No. 156/2025 dated 02.12.2025 and Relieving Order No. 03/2026 dated 03.01.2026 transferring petitioners No.2 to 4 to Rae Bareli, Uttar Pradesh, as arbitrary, illegal and amounting to unfair labour practice under the Industrial Disputes Act, 1947, seeking quashing under Articles 226 and 227 of the Constitution. During pendency, the employer filed a memo reporting payment of salary for October-December 2025 and produced an amended transfer order recalling the impugned order, a fresh transfer order dated 27.01.2026 placing the employees on transfer for one year. Holding: in view of these subsequent developments the writ petition did not survive for consideration; it was disposed of by directing petitioners No.2 to 4 to report to the transferred place within fifteen days from 27.01.2026 and directing the respondents to pay balance salary, if any due, within fifteen days. No precedent was cited or engaged with; no quantum was adjudged.

NC: 2026:KHC:5666 WP No. 934 of 2026

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HC-KAR

IN THE HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA AT BENGALURU DATED THIS THE 2^ND DAY OF FEBRUARY, 2026

BEFORE

THE HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE ANANT RAMANATH HEGDE WRIT PETITION NO. 934 OF 2026 (L-RES)

BETWEEN:

ITI EMPLOYEES UNION (REGISTERED UNDER THE TRADE UNION ACT, 1926) HAVING ITS OFFICE IN NO.60 AND 61, ITI COLONY CIRCLE, NORTH AVENUE, ITI DOORAVANINAGAR, BENGALURU -560016. REPRESENTED BY ITS GENERAL SECRETARY

SRI. S. SHIVAKUMAR S/O LATE N.SAMBANDAM, AGED ABOUT 56 YEARS, STAFF NO.03915A, CATE "F", FIRE STATION - ITI BENGALURU PLANT, DOORAVANINAGAR, BENGALURU-560016.

Digitally signed by MARKONAHALLI RAMU PRIYA Location: HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA

SRI. S. THIRUMURUGAN S/O M.SUBRAMANI, AGED ABOUT 56 YEARS, STAFF NO.04086A, CATE "PF", WATER SUPPLY DEPARTMENT, ITI BENGALURU PLANT, DOORAVANINAGAR, BENGALURU-560016.

SRI. M. PADMANABHAN S/O LATE SRI. K.MUNISWAMY, AGED ABOUT 53 YEARS, STAFF NO.05950V, CATE "SH", ITI BENGALURU PLANT,

NC: 2026:KHC:5666 WP No. 934 of 2026

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DOORAVANINAGAR, BENGALURU-560016

…PETITIONERS

(BY SRI. NAIK V.S., ADVOCATE)

AND:

UNION OF INDIA MINISTRY OF COMMUNICATIONS, REPRESENTED BY ITS SECRETARY, SANCHAR BHAVAN, NO.20, ASHOKA ROAD NEW DELHI - 110001

ITI LIMITED REPRESENTED BY ITS CHAIRMAN CUM MANAGING DIRECTOR REGISTERED AND CORPORATE OFFICE ITI BHAVAN, DOORAVANINAGAR BENGALURU - 560 016 (COMPANY REGISTERED UNDER THE COMPANIES ACT, 1956)

THE GENERAL MANAGER - HR ITI LIMITED, REGISTERED AND CORPORATE OFFICE, ITI BHAVAN DOORAVANINAGAR BENGALURU - 560 016

THE GENERAL MANAGER - B UNITED HEAD, BG COMPLEX BENGALURU PLANT, DOORAVANINAGAR BENGALURU - 560 016

THE DEPUTY GENERAL MANAGER-HR (B/R AND D) ITI LIMITED, BENGALURU PLANT DOORAVANI NAGAR BENGALURU - 560 016

…RESPONDENTS (BY SRI. RICAB CHAND, ADVOCATE FOR CAVEATOR/RESPONDENT NOS.2, 3 AND 5)

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NC: 2026:KHC:5666 WP No. 934 of 2026

HC-KAR

THIS WRIT PETITION IS FILED UNDER ARTICLES 226 AND 227 OF THE CONSTITUTION OF INDIA PRAYING TO CALL FOR THE ENTIRE RECORDS FROM THE RESPONDENTS AND GRANT THE PETITIONERS 2 TO 4 THE FOLLOWING RELIEFS:- QUASH THE TRANSFER ORDER NO. 156/2025 BEARING NO.ITI/CRP/HR/2025/1532 DATED 02.12.2025 AS PER ANNEXURE-C AND ALSO THE RELIEVING ORDER NO.03/2026 BEARING NO.IT/BGP/HR/EP AND S/JAN26 DATED 03.01.2026 AS PER ANNEXURE-F INSOFAR AS THE PETITIONERS 2 TO 4 ARE AGGRIEVED SINCE THE ACTION OF THE RESPONDENTS IS ARBITRARY, ILLEGAL AND SAME AMOUNTS TO UNFAIR LABOUR PRACTICE AS DEFINED UNDER THE PROVISIONS OF THE INDUSTRIAL DISPUTES ACT, 1947 AND ETC.

THIS PETITION, COMING ON FOR ORDERS, THIS DAY, ORDER WAS MADE THEREIN AS UNDER:

CORAM: HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE ANANT RAMANATH HEGDE

ORAL ORDER

This petition is filed assailing the transfer order of three petitioners, namely, petitioners No.2 to 4. The petitioners No.2 to 4 have been transferred to Rae Bareli in Uttar Pradesh.

On the previous date of hearing, learned for the petitioners has made a statement that salary for the past three months has not been paid to petitioners No.2 to 4.

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NC: 2026:KHC:5666 WP No. 934 of 2026

HC-KAR

Learned for the caveator/respondent Nos.2, 3 and 5

has filed a memo reporting payment of salary for October, November, December, 2025.

Learned counsel for the petitioners submits that the

salary for the aforementioned months has been paid.

Learned counsel for the caveator/respondent Nos.2, 3 and 5 has also produced an amended transfer order along with the memo wherein the impugned transfer order has been recalled and a new transfer order has been issued on 27.01.2026.

The aforementioned transfer order would reveal

that petitioners No.2 to 4 have been transferred for a period of one year.

Learned counsel for the petitioners would also submit that the impugned order is now withdrawn and is replaced by the subsequent transfer order dated 27.01.2026. It is also submitted that under the applicable service regulations, once the employee is transferred, he will be having fifteen days time to report to the transferred place.

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NC: 2026:KHC:5666 WP No. 934 of 2026

HC-KAR

Learned counsel for the caveator/respondents No.2,

3 and 5 does not dispute this proposition.

Thus, this Court is of the view that petitioners No.2 to 4 will have to report to the transferred place within fifteen days from 27.01.2026.

Learned counsel for the petitioners submits that only 50% salary for the month of January, February and June 2025 is paid to the petitioners No.2 to 4 and balance 50% is in arrears.

Learned counsel for the caveator/respondents No.2, 3 and 5 would submit that in case balance 50% is due as contended by the petitioners, same would be paid within fifteen days from today.

The said submission is placed on record.

In view of the subsequent developments post filing of the writ petition, this writ petition does not survive for consideration.

Accordingly, this writ petition is disposed of directing petitioners No.2 to 4 to report to the transferred

NC: 2026:KHC:5666 WP No. 934 of 2026

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police within fifteen days from 27.01.2026 and the respondents shall pay balance salary, if any due, within fifteen days from

today.

Petition is disposed of.

Sd/(ANANT RAMANATH HEGDE) JUDGE

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