ORDER

1. Delay condoned in SLP (C) No. 8045 of 1997 [CC No. 1269 of 1995].

2. Leave granted in the special leave petitions.

3. Part-time casual workers in Posts and Telegraphs Department, Ministry of Communications filed applications before different Benches of the Central Administrative Tribunal claiming the benefit of the Scheme framed by the said Department dated 12-4-1991 for the purpose of granting temporary status and regularisation to casual labourers. This Scheme is designated as "Casual Labourers (Grant of Temporary Status and Regularisation) Scheme" which has been framed pursuant to the directions a given by this Court in Daily Rated Casual Labour v. Union of India ((1988) 1 SCC 122 : 1988 SCC (L&S) 138 : (1987) 5 ATC 228). The Tribunals have held that part-time casual workers are also covered by the said Scheme. Hence the present appeals have been filed before us.

4. Clauses I and 2 of the Scheme are as follows :

"1. Temporary Status would be conferred on the casual labourers in employment as on 29-11-1989 and who continue to be currently employed and have rendered continuous service of at least one year : During the year they must have been engaged for a period of 240 d