Civil Writ Petition No. 224 of 2011 -1- IN THE HIGH COURT OF PUNJAB AND HARYANA AT CHANDIGARH Civil Writ Petition No. 224 of 2011 Date of decision:- 06.9.2011 Sewak Singh ...Petitioner Versus The Presiding Officer, Labour Court, Bathinda and others ...Respondents CORAM: HON'BLE MS. JUSTICE RITU BAHRI Present:- Mr. S.K. Bawa, Advocate for the petitioner. Mr. Praveen Chander Goyal, Addl.A.G. Punjab. RITU BAHRI J. Challenge is to the award dated 13.7.2010 (Annexure P-3) whereby the reference has been answered in favour of the workman by giving him compensation of Rs.20,000/-. The workman was engaged by the respondent-Department on 17.2.1996 and he worked upto 17.11.1996 for a period of nine months. His services were terminated. He raised a demand notice on 25.2.1997 (Annexure R-1) and thereafter vide order dated 7.11.1997 (Annexure R-2), the Labour Commissioner, Punjab declined the reference on the ground that the Department of Horticulture does not fall under the definition of Industry under Section 2(j) of the Industrial Disputes Act, 1947 as held vide judgment of this Court dated 18.11.1993 in Civil Writ Petition No.8878 of 1993. Subsequently, the matter was referred to the Labour Court on 26.10.1999 inspite of the Civil Writ Petition No. 224 of 2011 -2- order dated 7.11.1997 declining the reference of the dispute. Without going into the question as to whether the Department of Horticulture is covered under the definition of Industry as held by this Court in State of Punjab versus Daljit Singh 1986(1) SLR 454, the Labour Court granted compensation of Rs.20,000/- for non compliance of Section 25 (f) of the Industrial Disputes Act while terminating the services of the workman on 18.11.1996. The workman had served with the Department only for nine months and the compensation of Rs.20,000/- awarded by the Labour Court is adequate and calls for no interference. The writ petition is dismissed. 06.09.2011 ( RITU BAHRI ) Vijay Asija JUDGE