( 1 ) THESE three petitions are similar and they raise common questions of law. They relate to the disputes arising out of termination of services of individual workmen by their respective employers who are the petitioners herein.

( 2 ) IN these petitions, the petitioners have asked for striking down S. 2a of the Industrial Disputes Act. 1947 (hereinafter referred to as the Act ). Thev have also imnusned the Conciliation proceedings pending before the labour and Conciliation Officer, Bangalore, (hereinafter referred to as the conciliation Officer) in respect of such disputes.

( 3 ) RESPONDENT 4 In each of these petitions whose services were terminated, preferred an appeal under S. 39 of the Mysore Shops and Commercial establishments Act, 1961, (hereinafter referred to as the Shops and establishments Act), before the Commissioner of Labour in Mysore (hereinafter referred to as the Commissioner), who is the Appellate Authority under the said Act. After S. 2a was inserted in the Act by the Industrial disputes (Amendment) Act, 1965. (Central Act XXXV of 1965), the commissioner issued a Circular (marked Ext.-III in each of these petitions) in which it was stated that