JUDGMENT

Ruma Pal, J.-The respondent No. 1 is a Government of India undertaking. It was incorporated under the Companies Act,1956 on 30th November 1972. One of the main objects for which the respondent No. 1 was established was to promote, encourage and develop the availability, use, supply and distribution at reasonable cost in the country or artificial limbs to needy persons particularly disabled defence personnel. For this purpose the respondent No. 1 set up a factory where more than 700 persons are employed. The respondent No. 1 also set up a canteen for its employees. From time to time agreements were entered into between the respondent No. 1 and different contractors by which the contractor agreed to prepare and serve food stuffs and other refreshments at the canteen. At the relevant time the concerned contractor was Aditya Shukla, the respondent No. 2 herein.

2. According to the appellants, they were employed by several of the contractors and had been serving in the canteen for several years. During the pendency of the contract with the respondent No. 2, the appellants raised an industrial dispute claiming to be regular workmen of the respondent No. 1. The dispute was