Judgement

VENKATARAMIAH, J. :- These petitions are filed on behalf of persons who are working as Daily Rated Casual Labour in the Posts and Telegraphs Department. The Daily Rated Casual Labour includes three broad categories of workers, namely, unskilled, semi-skilled and skilled. The unskilled labour consists of safai workers, helpers, peons etc. and are mostly engaged in digging, carrying loads and other similar types of work. The semi-skilled labour consists of carpenters, wiremen, draftsmen, A.C. mechanics etc. who have technical experience but do not hold any degree or diploma. The skilled labour consists of labour doing technical work, who hold requisite degrees/diplomas.

2. The principal complaint of the petitioners is that even though many of them have been working for the last ten years as casual labourers, the wages paid to them are very low and far less than the salary and allowances paid to the regular employees of the Posts and Telegraphs Department belonging to each of the categories referred to above and secondly no scheme has been prepared by the Union of India to absorb them regularly in its service and consequently they have been denied the benefits, such as increme