Summarize the following court judgment. Civil Appeal No. 34 of 1980. From the Judgment and Order dated 7 11 1979 of the Madras High Court in Writ Petition No. 2886/76. Soli J. Sorabjee	 D.N. Gupta and H. K. Dutt for the Appellant. R. K. Garg and V. J. Francis for the Respondent. The Judgment of the Court was delivered by SEN	 J. This appeal on certificate	 from the judgment of the Madras High Court raises a question of some complexity. The ques 304 tion is	 whether an employer is statutorily bound to pay wages if the workmen are on strike	 for any of the national or festival holidays falling within the period of strike	 under s.3 read with sub s.(1) of s.5 of the Tamil Nadu Industrial Establishments (National and Festival Holidays) Act	 1958 (hereinafter to referred to as `the Act '). The facts of the case are not in dispute. Messrs Madura Coats Limited are an industrial establishment within the meaning of s.2(e) of the Act	 owning textile mills at Madurai	 Ambasamudram and Tuticorin in the State of Tamil Nadu. The cotton textile industry had been declared to be a public utility service for purposes of the . In respect of claim for bonus for the year 1974 75 a settlement was entered into which stood superseded by the Payment of Bonus Ordinance	 1975. The management accordingly took the view that no bonus was payable for the year in question	 since its payment would be against the provisions of the Act	 as amended by the Ordinance. This resulted in a strike by the workmen of the concerned mills. The workmen were on strike from January 21	 1976 to February 5	 1976. The strike was called off by the workmen on February 6	 1976 due to the intervention of the Commissioner of Labour	 Madras	 who brought about a settlement. The proceedings of the Commissioner of Labour dated February 5	 1976 show that the parties	 i.e.	 the management and the workmen	 had agreed to abide by his decision in the matter. The terms of the settlement were	 inter alia	 that the strike was to be called off forthwith and the workmen would commence work on February 6	 1976	 that the management 's proposal 10 make a penal cut of eight days ' wages of the workmen for going on an illegal strike would be waived and that there would be no wages payable for the period of the strike. In accordance therewith	 the workmen resumed work on February 6	 1976 and the management paid them wages for the month of January	 1976 after excluding there from the wages payable for the period of strike during January	 namely	 for the period from January 21 to 31	 1976. The management having withheld the wages payable for January 26	 1976	 the Inspector of Factories	 Ist Circle	 Madurai addressed a communication dated May 22	 1976 stating that in view of s.5 of the Act	 payment of wages for January 26	 1976 had to be made. The management challenged the order by a writ petition but the High Court declined to interfere. It held that the appellant was bound to pay to the workmen wages for January 26	 1976	 having regard to the provisions contained in s.3 and sub s.(1) of s.5 of the Act	 even though the workmen were on strike on that day. The correctness of that decision is in question. 305 It is urged firstly that in view of the term `wages ' in s.2(g) of the Act	 no wages were payable to the workmen for January 26	 1976	 in terms of the contract of employment since they were not available for work and thereby the management were deprived of the right given to them under sub s.(2) of s.5 of the Act	 to call upon the workmen to come and do the work and secondly	 the right of the workmen to receive wages for the national or festival holidays under s.3 of the Act	 is subject to the right of the management under sub s.(2) of s.5 to call upon them to come and work on such holidays. It is said that when a person creates a situation by going on a strike whereby he is not available for work	 the terms of employment cannot be fulfilled and	 therefore	 a fortiori no wages are payable. It is suggested that the right of the workmen to wages is not dependent on their status as such	 but on the fulfilment of the contract of employment. It would be convenient in the first instance to set out the relevant provisions of the Act. In the Act the term `wages ' as defined in s.2(g)	 insofar as relevant	 is in these terms: "2(g) "Wages" means all remuneration capable of being expressed in terms of money	 which would	 if the terms of employment	 express or implied	 were fulfilled	 be payable to an employee in respect of his employment or of the work done by him in such employment. ". Section 3 of the Act provides as follows: "3. Grant of National and Festival holidays Every employee shall be allowed in each calendar year a holiday of one whole day on the 26th January	 the first May	 the 15th August and the 2nd October and five other holidays each of one whole day for such festivals as the Inspector may	 in consultation with the employer and the employees	 specify in respect of any industrial establishment. " Sub sections (1) and (2) of s.5 of the Act provide: "5. Wages (1) Notwithstanding any contract to the contrary	 every employee shall be paid wages for each of the holidays allowed to him under section 3. (2)(a) Notwithstanding anything contained in section 3	 any employee. may be required by the employer to work on 306 any holiday allowed under that section if the employer has	 not less than twenty four hours before such holiday	 (i) served in the prescribed manner on the employee a notice in writing requiring him to work as aforesaid; and (ii) send to the Inspector having jurisdiction over the area in which the industrial establishment is situated and displayed in the premises of the industrial establishment a copy of such notice. (b) Where an employee works on any holiday allowed under section 3	 he shall	 at his option	 be entitled to (i) twice the wages; or (ii) wages for such day and to avail himself of a substituted holiday with wages on one of the three days immediately before or after the day on which he so works. " The legislation is intended to provide for national and festival holidays in industrial establishments in the State. Section 3 of the Act provides that every employee in an industrial establishment shall be entitled to four national and five festival holidays in each calendar year. Sub section (1) of s.5 provides that `notwithstanding any contract to the contrary ' every employee shall be paid wages for each of the holidays allowed to him under s.3. The matter is thus taken out of the realm of contract. There is a statutory obligation cast on the employer and a corresponding benefit conferred on the employees. The word `allowed ' in sub section (1) of s.5 means holidays allowed under s.3. In other words	 the employer has no option in the matter. There can be no contracting out of the liability to pay wages for such holidays. It will be noticed that both sub sections (1) and (2) of s.5 contain non obstante clauses. While the non obstante clause in sub s.(1) of s.5 gives to the workmen the right to claim wages for such holidays `notwithstanding any contract to the contrary '	 the non obstante clause in sub section (2) of s.5 subordinates the right of the workmen to claim wages for the national or festival holidays `notwithstanding anything contained in s.3 '. Sub sections (1) and (2) of s.5 have been enacted with separate and distinct objects and they operate on different planes. Sub section (2) of s.5 confers upon the employer the right to call 307 upon the workmen to come and work on such holidays on the fulfilment of the conditions set out therein. As a matter of construction	 the non obstante clause contained in sub section (2) of s.5 has an overriding effect over s.3. The right of the workmen to claim wages under sub section (1) of s.5 for any of the national and festival holidays under s.3 is	 therefore	 co extensive with the right of the management under sub s.(2) of s.5 to call upon the workmen to come and work on such holidays subject to the compliance with the conditions laid down therein. On the construction of sub s.(2) of s.5 of the Act and its impact on s.3 and sub s.(1) of s.5 of the Act	 there is a conflict of opinion in the High Court. In Vasudevan	 R.M.S. Union vs Lotus Mills Ltd. Koshal J. in dealing with a case where the workers of a textile mill went on a strike	 and in between there were two paid holidays	 held that wages for the holidays in question were payable despite the strike since sub s.(1) of s.5 was absolute and unconditional and gave to the employees the right to stay away from work. He was of the view that s.3 and sub s.(1) of s.5 operate independently without reference to sub s.(2) of s.5 and as such	 even if the management had no opportunity to call upon the workmen to come and work on national and festival holidays as provided for in sub s.(2) of s.5	 they were bound to declare such national and festival holidays under s.3 and pay wages for these holidays to the workmen as provided by sub s.(1) of s.5. In substance	 Koshal J. was of the view that the legislature never intended to give to sub s.(2) of s.5 an overriding effect so as to make the fulfilment of the terms of contract of employment and of the work done a condition prerequisite for the payment of wages for the national or festival holidays. When the matter came before Natarajan J.	 he expressed his doubts about the correctness of the view taken in Lotus Mills case. In his view the benefit conferred on the workmen under s.3 and sub s.(1) of s.5 cannot be taken to be independent of sub s.(2) of s.5 which confers a special right on the management to call upon the workmen to come and work on national and festival holidays declared under s.3	 and so long as that right of the management could not be exercised as the workmen were on strike on these days	 the benefits cannot be enforced by the workmen. He	 accordingly	 referred the case to a Division Bench for a reconsideration of the decision in Lotus Mills case. The Division Bench (Ramanujam and Padmanabhan JJ.)	 however	 disagreed with him and preferred to 308 follow the view taken by Koshal J. expressed in Lotus Mills case. The question is which of the two views is in accord with the provisions of the Act. Ramanujan J.	 speaking for the Division Bench	 while accepting that 'sub s.(2) of s.5 conferred a special right on the management	 which is somewhat inconsistent with s.3 and sub s.(1) of s.5	 comments that 'these provisions confer two benefits on the employees	 viz.	 (1) not to work on a holiday	 and (2) to get wages from the management for such holiday '	 and observes: "If the right conferred on the management under section 5(2) is intended to override the right given to the employees under section 3 and 5(1)	 the legislature would have specially said so by giving an overriding effect to section 5(2). But so long as section 5(2) does not specifically override section 3 and 5(1)	 it is not possible for us to say that sections 3 and 5(1) are subject to section 5(2). The right conferred on the management under section 5(2) and the right conferred on employees under sections 3 and 5(1) should be taken to be independent of each other." (Emphasis supplied) This observation virtually renders sub s.(2) of s.5 a mere superfluity. Furthermore	 the assumption that the Act confers the right not to work on a holiday ' appears to be unwarranted. The ultimate conclusion of the High Court was that the contract of service continues even during the period of strike and	 therefore	 though in the instant case the employees were on strike	 they still continued to enjoy the benefits of the Act and must be paid their wages for 26th January	 1976 even though they were on strike. In our judgment	 the construction placed by the High Court on sub s.(2) of s.5 of the Act cannot be accepted. It is apparently wrong in observing that 'if the legislature intended such a result	 the language used would have been different '. That precisely is the effect of the non obstante clause in sub s.(2) of s.5 which clearly has an overriding effect over s.3. Under the scheme of the Act	 the workmen are entitled to wages for the national and festival holidays under s.3 read with sub section (1) of s.5	 but this right of theirs ' is subject to the right of the management given under sub s.(2) of s.5	 to call upon the workmen to come and work on such holidays. Any other construction would make the provisions contained in sub section (2) of s.5 wholly nugatory. 309 It would depend on the facts and circumstances of each case whether or not wages become payable in the context of strike. It is true that where a strike is neither illegal being not in contravention or any statutory provision	 nor unjustified having been lodged as a protest against the unreasonable attitude of the management	 there is no reason to deprive the workmen of their wages. It must	 nevertheless	 be observed that workmen cannot resort to strike with impunity for any kind of demand without first exhausting reasonable avenues for possible achievement of their object. In the present case	 the affidavit of the Inspector of Factories	 First Circle	 Madurai shows that the dispute between the management and their workmen as to payment of bonus for the year 1974 75 had been referred to the Special Industrial Tribunal Madras which gave a decision in favour of the workmen. That has a bearing on the claim for bonus but has no relevance to the question in controversy. It appears that the workmen went on a strike without serving a notice under section 22 of the . That being so	 the strike resorted to by the workmen was wholly unjustified if not illegal. When the workmen themselves brought about a situation by going on a strike	 they cannot be permitted to claim wages under sub s.(1) of s.5 of the Act	 since the management were deprived of their right under sub s.(2) of s.5 of the Act. In Buckingham and Carnatic Co. Ltd. vs Workers of the Buckingham and Carnatic Co. Ltd. the night shift operatives of a textile mills stopped work from about 4 p.m. upto about 8 p.m. on a certain day	 the apparent cause of the strike being that the management had expressed their inability to comply with the request of the workers to declare the forenoon of that day as a holiday for solar eclipse. The stoppage of work was the result of a concerted action and fell within the definition of a 'strike ' in s.2(q) of the . The strike was an illegal strike as the textile mills was a public utility industry and no notice had been given to the management	 even though the refusal to work continued only for a few hours. It was held that the continuity of service of the workers was interrupted by the illegal strike and	 therefore	 they were not entitled to claim holidays with pay under section 49 B(1) of the Factories Act	 1934. In Management of Chandramalai Estate	 Ernakulam vs Its Workmen the workmen made certain demands and the matter was referred for conciliation. After conciliation efforts failed the workmen struck work. The question was whether the workmen were entitled to 310 paid holidays for the period of strike. It was held	 on the facts of the case	 that the strike was unjustified and the workmen were not entitled to any wages for the period. The question ultimately is one of fact. The liability of the management to pay wages for the national and festival holidays under s.3	 read with sub s.(1) of s.5 of the Act	 is subject to their right under sub s.(2) of s.5 of the Act to call upon the workmen to come and work on such holidays. That depends upon whether or not the strike was illegal or unjustified. In the result	 the appeal succeeds and is allowed. The judgment of the High Court is reversed. The writ petition filed by the appellant is allowed and the impugned notice issued by the Inspector of Factories is quashed. We wish to mention that the appellant has undertaken to pay wages to the workmen for 26th January	 1976 irrespective of the result of the appeal. There shall be no order as to costs. N.V.K. Appeal allowed.

The Tamil Nadu Industrial Establishment (National and Festival Holidays) Act	 1958 was a legislation intended to provide for national and festival holidays in industrial establishments in the State of Tamil Nadu. Section 3 of the Act provides that every employee in an industrial establishment shall be entitled to four national and five festival holidays in each calender year. Sub section (1) of section 5 provides that `notwithstanding any contract to the contrary every employee shall be paid wages for each of the holidays allowed to him under section 3. Sub section (2) of section 5 confers upon the employer the right to call upon the workmen to come and work on such holidays on the fulfilment of the conditions set out therein The appellant was an industrial establishment owning textile mills in the State of Tamil Nadu. In respect of a claim for bonus for the year 1974 75 there was a dispute between the management and its workmen. This resulted in a strike by the workmen	 from January 21	 1976 to February 5	 1976 which was called off by the workmen on February 6	 1976. The management paid the workmen wages for the month of January 1976 after excluding therefrom the wages payable for the period of strike during January namely January 21 to January 31	 1976. The Management having withheld the wages payable for January 26	 1976 the first respondent addressed a communication stating that in view of section 5 of the Act payment of wages for January 26	 1976 had to be made. The management challenged the order by a Writ Petition in the High Court. The High Court held that having regard to the provisions contained in sections and sub section (I) of section 5 of the Act	 the appellant was bound to pay the workmen wages for January 26	 1976 even though the workmen were on strike on that date and dismissed the Writ Petition Allowing the appeal to this Court ^ HELD: (1) The liability of the Management to pay wages for the national and festival holidays under section 3 read with sub section (1) of section 5 of the Act is subject to the rights under sub section (2) of section 5 of the Act to call upon the workmen to come and work on such holidays. 303 (2) The construction placed by the High Court on sub Section (2) of section 5 of the Act cannot be accepted. Under the scheme of the Act the workmen are entitled to wages for the national and festival holidays under section 3 read with sub section (I) of section 5	 but this right of theirs ' is subject to the right of management given under sub section (2) of section 5 to call upon the workmen to come and work on such holidays. Any other construction would make the provision contained in sub section (2) of section 5 wholly nugatory. [308H; 309A] (3) Both sub sections (1) and (2) of section 5 contain non obstante clauses. While the non obstante clause in sub section (I) of section 5 gives to the workmen the right to claim wages for the national or festival holidays `notwithstanding any contract to the contrary ' the non obstante clause in sub section (2) of section 5 subordinates the right of the workmen to claim wages for the national or festival holidays `notwithstanding anything contained in section 3. sub sections (1) and (2) of section 5 have been enacted with separate and distinct objects and they operate on different planes. [306H; 307A] Vasudevan	 R.M.S. Union vs Lotus Mills Ltd. [1977] II LLJ 483 overruled. (4) It would depend on the facts and circumstances of each case whether or not wages become payable in the context of strike. When a Strike is neither illegal being not in contravention of any statutory provision	 nor unjustified having been lodged as a protest against the unreasonable attitude of the management	 there is no reason to deprive the workmen of their wages. [309B] Buckingham and Carnatic Co. Ltd. vs Workers of the Buckingham and Carnatic Co. Ltd. ; and Management of Chandramalai Estate	 Ernakulam vs Its Workmen ; referred to. In the instant case the workmen went on strike without serving a notice under section 22 of the Industrial Dispute Act 1947. That being so the strike resorted to by the workmen was wholly unjustified if not illegal. When the workmen themselves brought about a situation by going on a strike they cannot be permitted to claim wages under sub section (1) of section 5 of the Act since the management were deprived of their right under sub section (2) of section 5 of the Act. [309E]