JUDGMENT

Abhay Manohar Sapre, J.

1. This appeal is directed against the final judgment and order dated 21.02.2006 passed by the High Court of judicature at Madras in Writ Appeal No.66 of 2006 whereby the Division Bench of the High Court dismissed the appeal filed by the appellant herein and affirmed the judgment and order dated 24.08.2005 passed by the Single Judge of the High Court in Writ Petition No.6872 of 2001 by which the Single Judge allowed the writ petition filed by respondent No.1 herein.

2. Few relevant facts need to be mentioned hereinbelow to appreciate the question involved in the appeal.

3. The appellant is “Chennai Port Trust” at Chennai. It has been in existence for the last many decades and has a large administrative and technical set up to run their multifarious activities on the Port.

4. Large numbers of workers/employees are employed by the Port Trust who work round the clock in shifts to run and maintain the activities of the Port Trust. These Port Trust workers/employees are provided with the facility of canteen. A Co-Operative Society called “Chennai Port Trust Industrial Employees Co-operative Canteen Limited” runs the Canteen. It has been running since 1964. Th