Academic references returned unanswered as pending appeals required the Tribunal to decide jurisdictional issues on merits independently.

References were returned unanswered because the questions referred had become academic in light of the pending appeals before the Tribunal. The High Court directed the Tribunal to decide the appeals on merits and to do so independently, without being influenced by its earlier view on jurisdiction. The operative effect was that the jurisdictional questions were not answered in the reference proceedings, and the substantive appeals were left for adjudication in the ordinary appellate process.

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Outcome: The references were returned unanswered as the questions referred had become academic in view of the pending appeals before the Tribunal. The Tribunal was directed to decide the appeals on merits without being influenced by the earlier view on jurisdiction.

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