(1) THE petitioners, on being denied absorption and regularisation by the Railways, have filed this Writ Petition. By our order dated September 19, 1997, before proceeding to consider the cases of the petitioners who were working as Porters/Workers at the Railway Stations of Barkar, Durgapur, Raniganj, Sitarampur, Asansol and Andal Division of Eastern Railway, we directed the Assistant Commissioner (Labour), Central Government, Calcutta to conduct an enquiry into the allegations whether the petitioners had been wrorking continuously at the concerned Railway Stations and whether the work was of a perennial nature and if requirements of Section 10 of the Contract Labour (Regulation & Abolition) Act, 1970 had been satisfied. We had confined the enquiry by the learned Assistant Labour Commissioner to such of the Parcel Porters, whose names and details had been furnished from pages 32 to 42 in the paper book of this Writ Petition.

(2) THE learned Assistant Labour Commissioner has conducted the enquiry and submitted a Report. We have perused that Report. We have also perused the objections filed by way of an affidavit on behalf of respondents 1 to 3.

(3) AFTER heari