Jurisdiction over Settlement Commission challenge lies with the Delhi High Court when the impugned order is passed in New Delhi.

The Bombay High Court lacked jurisdiction to entertain the Department's writ petition challenging a Settlement Commission order passed by the Principal Bench at New Delhi, because the proper forum was the Delhi High Court. The Department had therefore approached the wrong court, and the validity of the order could not be tested in Bombay. No opinion was expressed on the merits of the Settlement Commission's decision.

---

---

Issues: Whether the Bombay High Court had jurisdiction to entertain the Department's writ petition challenging the Settlement Commission order passed at New Delhi.

Analysis: The writ petition should have been filed before the Delhi High Court because the impugned order was passed by the Principal Bench of the Settlement Commission, New Delhi. The Bombay High Court was held to have no jurisdiction to test the validity of that order, and the Department was found to have approached a wrong forum. No opinion was expressed on the merits of the Settlement Commission order.

Conclusion: The Bombay High Court lacked jurisdiction and the Department could not pursue the challenge in that forum.

---