This writ petition has been instituted on behalf of the Andhra Pradesh Transmission Corporation Limited (henceforth referred to as ‘the Transco’) calling in question the validity and legality of the Award passed by the Labour Court, Guntur, in I.D.No.149 of 1999 on 30-10-2000, which was published on 24-04-2001.

The Andhra Pradesh State Electricity Board (for short ‘The Board), was the predecessor in interest of the Transco. The Board was created in terms of Section 48 of the Indian Electricity Supply Act, 1948. It had employed several persons on casual basis, on contract basis and also to work as Village Electricity Workers. By virtue of a settlement arrived at with the recognized trade union, the Board has taken a policy decision to absorb certain categories of employees in its service on regular basis and the scheme in this regard containing terms and conditions, subject to which the absorption has to be ordered, has all been spelt out through their B.P.Ms.No.36, dated 18-05-1997. The eligible persons were required to be absorbed into the category of Junior Lineman, L.D.Clerk / Typist and Sub Engineers. The 2nd respondent workman worked as a Village Electricity Worker a