CourtSupreme Court of India
Decision21 February 1978
CollectionEmployment & Labour
FormatCRUX Case Note

The Crux

The Industrial Disputes Act looks to the character and organisation of the activity when deciding whether an undertaking falls within the statutory concept of an industry.

What the Court held

The seven-Judge Bench formulated the well-known tests for determining 'industry' under Section 2(j) of the Industrial Disputes Act and addressed the dominant nature of the undertaking.

Why it matters

The authority remains central to the threshold question of labour-law coverage, though the field should always be checked against later statutory developments and current precedent.

CRUX practice note

This note isolates the proposition most likely to matter in practice. The precise ratio, factual limits and subsequent treatment of the authority should always be checked against the judgment itself before professional reliance.

Official source

The link below is to the Supreme Court of India’s official website or judgment repository.

Official Supreme Court source Bangalore Water-Supply & Sewerage Board v. R. Rajappa & Ors. — official court source The judgment text remains controlling. This CRUX note is an editorial summary for general information.

This Insight is for general informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice.

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