Judgment

SAWANT J.:- The petitioner-workmen who were employed on daily wages have filed these petitions for their absorption as regular employees in the Development Department of the Delhi Administration and for injunction prohibiting the termination of their services and also for the difference in wages paid to them and those paid to the regular employees. The petitions are resisted on behalf of the respondents contending that there is no scope for the absorption of the petitioners as they were employed on daily wages with a clear understanding that the schemes under which they were employed had no provision for regularisation of any workman.

2. To understand the controversy between the parties, it is necessary to refer to the facts with regard to the employment of the petitioners as brought on record by the respondents.

3. During the 5th Five Year Plan, the Central Government had formulated various schemes to provide wage-employment to agricultural and landless labourers during lean periods. One such scheme was "Food for work". Under this scheme, employment was given to the poorer sections of the population in the rural areas partly for food and partly for cash payment. During the