N. A. BRITTO, J.

( 1 ) THE petitioner, in this petition filed in a representative capacity on behalf of himself and other 59 persons, as per list annexed, is spousing their cause to be appointed as gangworkers on compassionate grounds based on a resolution No. 1395 dated 2421998, of the Mormugao Dock labour Board (MDLB, for short) relevant portion of which reads as follows:" further resolved to appoint the dependants of the registered workers who were compulsorily removed from the services of the Board, on attaining the age of 45/50 years (to keep the board alive on account of surplus labour force in the year 1982) on the resultant vacancies of registered workers subject to fulfilment of required conditions of the Recruitment rules".

( 2 ) THE petitioner/s are the sons of their fathers who on or about 1951982 were declared surplus and retired at premature age of 45/50 years as against the retirement age of 58 years, with all consequential retirement benefits.

( 3 ) THE case of the petitioner/s is that the Chairman of the MDLB, had promised their fathers that their dependants would be appointed on compassionate grounds, at least one member of their family, as gangworkers/vi