Judgment

S.B. Majmudar, J.-Leave granted in these Special Leave Petitions.

2. We have heard learned counsel for the rival parties finally in these appeals and they are being disposed of by this judgment. These appeals on special leave bring in challenge the common judgment and order passed on 24th February, 1998 by the Division Bench of the High Court of Judicature at Allahabad in five special Appeals allowing the same and dismissing their writ petitions. Appeals before the Division Bench arose out of the common judgment rendered by the learned Single Judge of the High Court on 7-12-1993, allowing writ petitions filed by the petitioners concerned as the writ petitions challenged identical orders of retrenchment passed by the Respondent management against the concerned petitioner-workmen. In order to appreciate the nature of controversy posed for our consideration in these appeals, it will be necessary to note relevant background facts.

Background Facts:

3. While narrating these facts we will refer to the present 25 appel­lants as original writ petitioner-workmen and the respondents as the company. Respondent No. 1 - company is a construction company wholly owned by the Government o