(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, 2 [Labour Court, Tribunal or National Tribunal] under section 10 during the pendency of conciliation proceedings.
(3) Proceedings 3 [before an arbitrator under section 10A or before a Labour Court, Tribunal or National Tribunal] shall be deemed to have commenced on the date or the 4 [reference of the dispute for arbitration or adjudication, as the case may be] and such proceedings shall be deemed to have concluded 5 [on the date on which the award becomes enforceable under section 17A].