Judgment

S. K. DAS J.: These are three appeals by special leave. The appellant in all the three appeals is a company called Messrs. Lipton Ltd., London, having an office at Asaf Ali Road, New Delhi (hereinafter referred to as the Lipton, Ltd.,) The respondents are the employees of the Delhi office of the said Lipton, Ltd., represented by the Lipton Employees Union (herein- after referred to as the Union). On April 14, 1958, a petition was filed on behalf of the appellant for an amendment of the cause title of the three appeals, wherein it was stated that as a matter of internal arrangement the Board of Directors of the Lipton Ltd., London decided to separate the export side of its business from its internal trade in respect of its branch in India and on April 4, 1957, a separate sterling company called Lipton (India) Ltd., was incorporated in the United Kingdom and this new Company took over the internal side of the business in India on and from January 5,,1958, but the export side of the business continued to be a branch of the Lipton Ltd., London. Pursuant to the aforesaid arrangement, the employees of the Delhi office of the Lipton Ltd., were notified of the formation of the new