The Calcutta High Court in the Indian Institute of Management, Calcutta case, held that an Industrial Tribunal is the right forum to determine if IIM-C, a statutory body, was the principal employer of contracted canteen resources engaged through its student council. It further held that mere denial by IIM-C was not sufficient to preclude a reference under the Industrial Disputes Act, 1947. It ruled that an employer-employee relationship is a mixed question of law and fact, and must be adjudicated only by the Tribunal.