Notes On The YKK Case

CASE NOTE

Zippers Karamchari Union vs. Union of India & Ors.

Writ Petition (Civil) No. 781 of 1996 before the Supreme Court of India

In Zippers Karamchari Union vs. Union of India & Ors. (commonly referred to as the YKK case) the Supreme Court of India refused to set aside the approval granted to the Japanese giant YKK Corporation for setting up an integrated plant in India for the manufacture of zip fasteners which were:

a) Low technology items;
b) The industry was reserved for the small scale sector;
c) The approval by the Government of India was for a hundred percent wholly owned subsidiary in India; and
d) There were no export obligations on YKK's part.

Since 1973 the zip fasteners were reserved for the small-scale industry and consequently big corporations could not manufacture such products.