DHARMADHIKARI J.-The present writ petition has been filed by the Chief Officer, Municipal Council, Akola, against the order passed by the Second Labour Court, Nagpur, in Industrial Disputes Cases Nos. 273 to 442 of 1968 dated 23rd August 1969 as also the order dated 9th September 1969. In all 170 employees of the Municipal Council, Akola filed an application under section 33-C (2) of the Industrial Disputes Act, 1947, referred to hereinafter as the Act, claiming minimum wages from the petitioner Municipal Council as per the Government notification dated 14th August 1965 which was made applicable to the employees of the local authorities. Prior to the filing of the present applications the employees has also filed an application before the Minimum Wages Authority. However, because of the period of limitation prescribed by the Minimum Wages Act, they restricted their claim to the period which was within limitation and filed a pursis in the following terms:

"The applicants do not press for condo-nation of delay. Claim for 6 months arrears be determined as they are entitled under law."

In view of this pursis, the Minimum Wages Authority passed an order dated 9-12-1966 in follo