(1) Where a dispute has been referred to a Board under this Act, it shall be the duty of the Board to endeavour to bring about a settlement of the same and for this purpose the Board shall, in such manner as it thinks fit and without delay, investigate the dispute and all matters affecting the merits and the right settlement thereof and may do all such things as it thinks fit for the purpose of inducing the parties to come to a fair and amicable settlement of the dispute.
(2) If a settlement of the dispute or of any of the matters in dispute is arrived at in the course of the conciliation proceedings, the Board shall send a report thereof to the appropriate Government together with a memorandum of the settlement signed by the parties to the dispute.
(3) If no such settlement is arrived at, the Board shall, as soon as practicable after the close of the investigation, send to the appropriate Government a full report setting forth the proceedings and steps taken by the Board for ascertaining the facts and circumstances relating to the dispute and for bringing about a settlement thereof, together with a full statement of such facts and circumstances, its findings thereon, the reasons on account of which, in its opinion, a settlement could not be arrived at and its recommendations for the determination of the dispute.
(4) If, on the receipt of a report under sub-section (3) in respect of a dispute relating to a public utility service, the appropriate Government does not make a reference to a 3[Labour Court, Tribunal or National Tribunal] under section 10, it shall record and communicate to the parties concerned its reasons therefor.
(5) The Board shall submit its report under this section within two months of the date 4[on which the dispute was referred to it] or within such shorter period as may be fixed by the appropriate Government:
Provided that the appropriate Government may from time to time extend the time for the submission of the report by such further periods not exceeding two months in the aggregate:
Provided further that the time for the submission of the report may be extended by such period as may be agreed on in writing by all the parties to the dispute.