Definition of Industry | Nine-Judge bench to hear arguments from 17 March 2026
Definition of IndustryJudges: Surya Kant CJI, Joymalya Bagchi J, V.M. Pancholi J
A Bench of Chief Justice Surya Kant and Justices Joymalya Bagchi and V.M. Pancholi directed that the Supreme Court will hear arguments on the scope of “industry” under Section 2(j) of the Industrial Disputes Act, 1947 (ID Act) from 17 March 2026.
The Bench will also consider the correctness of Bangalore Water-Supply & Sewerage Board v R. Rajappa (1978), in which a seven-judge bench had endorsed a wide definition. The definition allowed a large number of institutions and its employees to receive protection under the ID Act.
Arguments to take place over two days in March 2026
The question was referred to a larger bench in May 2005 by a Constitution Bench of five-judges in State of Uttar Pradesh v Jai Bir Singh. Multiple interpretations of the word “industry” had surfaced for which employers sought clarification from the Court. They argued that Bangalore Water Supply had given an excessively wide ambit to “industry” causing great confusion regarding the Act’s applicability upon different institutions, including governmental bodies.
In January 2017, a seven-judge bench, led by then CJI T.S. Thakur stated that a Bench of nine-judges will hear the case. The decision in this matter will clarify a question that has been pending before the Court for over 20 years.
The Court has allotted two days of arguments to answer the question and aims to close arguments on 18 March 2026. It is yet to notify the composition of the nine-judge Constitution Bench.