JUDGMENT

S.N. Variava, J.-Leave granted in SLP(C) Nos. 418-421/1999 and SLP(C) Nos. 9023-9032/1998.

2. All these Appeals are against the Judgment of the High Court dated 16th September, 1997.

3. Briefly stated the facts are as follows :

Civil Appeals Nos. 4461-4470 and C.A. Nos. 4457-4460/2001 [arising out of SLP(C) Nos. 418-421/1999 and SLP(C) Nos. 9023-9032/1998] are filed by two Unions. Civil Appeal Nos 1103-1117 of 1999 are filed by State of Maharashtra. All the other Appellants are Agricultural Universities in the State of Maharashtra. These Universities are established and function under the provisions of The Maharashtra Agricultural Universities (Krishi Vidyapeeth) Act 1983. The State Government controls these Universities and is responsible for funding them. The Universities own large tracts of land which are used for agricultural education and research activities. For their agricultural activities these Universities had engaged daily wage labourers. These workmen were not granted the same wages and not given the benefits available to permanent workmen. It is stated across the bar that there were approximately 4,000 such daily wage labourers.

4. Approximately 2000, out of the