Industrial Disputes Act, 1947
21. Certain matters to be kept
confidential
There shall not be included in any report or award under this
Act, any information obtained by a Conciliation Officer, Board, court, 117[Labor
Court, Tribunal, National Tribunal or an arbitrator], in the course of any
investigation or inquiry as to a trade union or as to any individual business
(whether carried on by a person, firm or company) which is not available
otherwise than through the evidence given before such officer, Board, court, 117[
Labor Court, Tribunal, National Tribunal or arbitrator], if the trade union,
person, firm or company, in question has made a request in writing to
the conciliation officer, Board, court 117[Labor Court, Tribunal
,National Tribunal or arbitrator], as the case may be, that such information
shall be treated as confidential; nor shall such conciliation officer or any
individual member of the Board, 121[or court or the presiding
officer of the Labor Court, Tribunal or National Tribunal or the arbitrator] or
any person present at or concerned in the proceedings disclose any such
information without the consent in writing of the secretary of the trade union
or the person, firm or company in question, as the case may be:
PROVIDED that nothing contained in this section shall
apply to a disclosure of any such information for the purposes of a prosecution
under section 193 of the Indian Penal Code (45 of 1860).