K.G.BALAKRISHNAN, J.

(1) LEAVE granted.

(2) JUDGMENT of the division bench of the Karnataka High Court is challenged in these appeals. The first appellant is a public limited company and appellants 2- 5 are directors thereof. The appellants challenged the order passed under section 34 of the Industrial Disputes Act, 1947 [for short, "the Act"] whereby the first respondent gave sanction for prosecuting the appellants for alleged violation of the provisions contained in the Act. By judgment dated 26.3.1998 the learned single judge declined to interfere with the order and judgment of the learned single judge was subsequently confirmed by the division bench.

(3) RELEVANT facts for the purpose of these appeals are thus. Services of three workmen, who were the employees of the first appellant-company were terminated by the appellant-company and those workmen raised an industrial dispute. An award was passed in favour of the workmen and the appellant-company was directed to reinstate them with continuity of service and full back-wages. The appellant-company challenged the award before the High Court of Karnataka by filing writ petition, which was later