law: Industrial Disputes Act, 1947
  20. Commencement and conclusion of
  
  proceedings
  (1) A conciliation proceeding shall be deemed to have commenced
  
  on the date on which a notice of strike or lock-out under section 22 is
  
  received by the conciliation officer or on the date of the order referring the
  
  dispute to a Board, as the case may be.
  (2) A conciliation proceeding shall be deemed to have concluded-
  (a) where a settlement is arrived at, when a
  
  memorandum of the settlement is signed by the parties to the dispute;
  (b) where no settlement is arrived at, when the
  
  report of the conciliation officer is received by the appropriate government or
  
  when the report of the Board is published under section 17, as the case may be;
  
  or
  (c) when a reference is made to a court, 117[
  
  Labor Court , Tribunal or National
  
  Tribunal] under section 10 during the pendency of conciliation proceedings.
  (3) Proceedings 118[ before an arbitrator under
  
  section 10A or before a Labor Court, Tribunal or National Tribunal] shall be
  
  deemed to have commenced on the date of the 119[reference of the
  
  dispute for arbitration or adjudication, as the case maybe,] and such
  
  proceedings shall be deemed to have concluded 120[on the date on
  
  which the award becomes enforceable under section 17A.]