DURATION AND MODIFICATION OF STANDING ORDERS :

Section 10 prohibits an employer to modify the Standing Orders once they are certified under this Act except on agreement between the employer and the workmen or a trade union or other representative body of the workmen. Such modification will not be affected until the expiry of 6 months from the date on which the Standing Orders were last modified or certified as the case may be. This Section further empowers an employer or the workmen or a trade union or other representative body of the workmen to apply to the Certifying Officer to have the Standing Orders modified by making an application to the Certifying Officer. Such application should be accompanied by 5 copies of the proposed modifications and where such modifications are proposed to be made by agreement between the employer and the workmen or a trade union or other representative body of the workmen, a certified copy of such agreement should be filed along with the application.

Workmen are entitled to apply for modification of the Standing Orders. (1977-II Labour Law Journal 503). Section 10(2) does not contain any time limit for making modification application. It can be made at any time. [Indian Express Employees Union v. Indian Express (Madurai) Ltd. (1998) 1 Cur LR 1161 (Ker)]