2013 (10) TMI 1561 - ANDHRA PRADESH HIGH COURT

Trade Union Registration obtained by fraud or mistake - Minimum Number of Workers required for Registration - Powers of Registrar to Cancel Registration - The petitioner received a certificate of registration under Trade Union Regulations, 1927.Soon thereafter, 88 workers of the 4th respondent submitted individual letters informing the 3rd respondent that they were not the members of the Union, their I.D. Cards and other documents were obtained without their knowledge and were used for the purpose of registration of the Trade Union. The 4th respondent submitted representations to the Management that they had no knowledge of the registration of the Union by the so called office bearers, which needed urgent enquiry to ascertain the real facts; and a proper enquiry should be made regarding membership of the petitioner Union, and their registration cancelled.

HELD THAT:- The petitioner's Certificate of Registration was cancelled, is set aside. Sec.9A of the Act relates to the minimum requirement of membership of a Trade Union and, thereunder, a registered Trade Union of workmen shall at all times continue to have not less than ten per cent, or one hundred of the workmen. Sec.10 of the Act relates to cancellation of registration and, thereunder, a certificate of registration of a Trade Union may be withdrawn or cancelled by the Registrar. As the petitioner Union was neither put on notice nor were they informed of the proposal to cancel their registration under Sect.10(b) of the Act, the requirement of affording the petitioner Union a reasonable opportunity to show cause, as stipulated under the proviso to Section 10 of the Act, cannot be said to have been complied with.

Sec.4(1) of the Act obligated the Registrar to ascertain whether the Petitioner-Union had the minimum required strength of 10% of the workmen, or 100 workers, in the establishment of the 4th respondent on the date of its registration. He ought to have verified whether the 88 workmen, who submitted a representation to him, were never the member of the Petitioner Union, and registration of the Union was obtained by fraud; or they had disassociated themselves from the petitioner Union between the date of the submission of the application and the date of registration of the Union.