( 1 ) THESE writ petitions are disposed of by a common order since they relate to a notification issued by the State Government under the provisions of S. 3 of the Minimum Wages Act, 1948 (in short the Act ).

( 2 ) W. P. No. 20889 of 1982, though not fixed for hearing, was brought up for hearing at the request of the learned counsel, Mr. Holla, for the petitioner therein who has also appeared in some of the connected writ petitions listed for hearing.

( 3 ) THE workmen benefited by the notification were permitted to come on record in these petitions as additional respondents and I have heard the learned counsel for the petitioners as also the learned counsel for the workmen, Mr. M. C. Narasimhan, and the learned Government Advocate.

( 4 ) THE petitioners are owners of beedi factories. They manufacture and sell beedies within the state of Karnataka. Under Annexure-A filed in W. P. s. Nos. 2309 to 2313 of 1982, the government of karnataka,. e. , the 1st respondent therein, issued the impugned notification under clause (b) of sub-s. (1) of S. 3 read with sub-s. (1) of S. 5 of the Act. This was done in supersession of the notification dated 28th March, 1979, in order to revise with

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