JUDGMENT

Raveendran, J.—Appellants who were the employees of Futwah Phulwarisharif Gramya Vidyut Sahakari Samiti Ltd., a co-operative society under liquidation, have challenged the order dated 30.9.2002 passed by the Patna High Court, dismissing their appeal (L.P.A. No.1030/2002) against the order dated 24.2.2002 passed by a Single Judge rejecting their writ petitions.

2. Prior to 1976, Bihar State Electricity Board (for short, the Board) was supplying electricity to the rural areas surrounding Patna. In the year 1976, the Bihar Government, the Board and Rural Electrification Corporation brought into existence a society registered under the Bihar Co-operative Societies Act, known as the Futwah - Phulwarisharif Gramya Vidyut Sahakari Samiti Ltd. (for short the Society) to implement a REC Scheme for better distribution of electricity to rural areas. The state government granted a licence dated 24.8.1976 to the society, under section 3 of the Indian Electricity Act, 1910 (Act for short) to supply electricity to the Futwah and Phulwari Sharif Blocks, for a period of 20 years, with options to the licencee to extend the period of licence.

3. By letter dated 23.4.1993, the Board recommend