Reviewed case brief
Workmen of Hindustan Lever Ltd. v Hindustan Lever Ltd.
AIR 1984 SC 516
AIR 1984 SC 516 · Supreme Court of India
- Court
- Supreme Court of India
- Year
- 1984
- Subjects
- Labour Law
- Reviewed
- 2026-08-02
Rule established
A settlement or award reached in the course of conciliation or adjudication must be interpreted in light of its object and the surrounding circumstances at the time it was made; awards and settlements affecting terms of employment are to be construed in favour of preserving industrial harmony and giving effect to the substance of what the parties intended, rather than a rigid literal reading that defeats that purpose.
Facts
Issues
Held
Ratio decidendi
How to use it in an exam
Editorial source
AIR 1984 SC 516; standard casebook authority on the interpretive approach to industrial awards and settlements, cross-verify citation before exam use
Educational summary only. Read the reported judgment or an authorised law report before relying on the case professionally.