Judgment

JAGANMOHAN REDDY, J. :- The appeal and the Writ Petition No. 40 of 1968 are by the Press Trust of India, while Writ Petition No. 37 of 1968 is by the Indian National Press (Bombay) Ltd. The appeal and the writ petitions challenged the order dated October 27, 1967 issued by the first respondent - the Union of India, Ministry of Labour, Employment and Rehabilitation (Department of Labour and Employment) accepting the recommendations of the Wage Board constituted under Section 9 of the Working Journalists (Conditions of Service and Miscellaneous Provisions Act, 1955 (45 of 1955) - hereinafter referred to as the Act - as violating Arts. 14, 19 and 31 of the Constitution of India. The order accepting the recommendations in respect of the wages, scales of pay etc. of the working journalists was subject to certain minor modifications therein specified, being modifications which in the opinion of the Central Government did not effect important alterations in the character of the recommendations. The second respondent is the Indian Federation of Working Journalists.

2. At the outset a preliminary objection was raised on behalf of the first respondent, which was also supported by th