Supreme Court Refines Industry Test on August 21, 2026

Exam-focused facts from the 26 August 2026 current affairs briefing.

Key facts

The Supreme Court delivered a 5:4 verdict on August 21, 2026, refining the 'industry' test under the Industrial Disputes Act, 1947.
The verdict was given by a nine-judge Constitution bench headed by Chief Justice of India Surya Kant.
All pending disputes under the 1947 Act will be adjudicated based on the 'triple test' from the 1978 Bangalore Water Supply judgment.
The ruling does not affect the interpretation of 'industry' under the Industrial Relations Code, 2020.
The 1978 Bangalore Water Supply case laid down a three-fold test for determining what constitutes an 'industry'.