KOTVAL, J. :- In this petition there is challenged a notification No. M.W.A. 1557-J, dated the 11th June 1958 issued under Section 5 of the Minimum Wages Act, 1948 (No. 11 of 1948), by the then Government of Bombay. The notification is at annexure-D and it has had an unenviable record of litigation arising from it. The notification was as follows :

"No. M.W.A. 1557-J. In exercise of the powers conferred by Sub-Section (2) of Section 5 read with clause (b) of Sub-Section (1) of that section of the Minimum Wages Act, 1948 (11 of 1948), and after consulting the Advisory Board and in supersession of the former Government of Madhya Pradesh Labour Department Notification No. 564-451-XXIII, dated the 23rd February 1956, the Government of Bombay hereby revise the minimum rates of wages in respect of the employment in any tobacco (including bidi making) manufactory in the Vidarbha region of the State of Bombay as mentioned in the Schedule hereto annexed and directs that this notification shall come into force with effect from 1st July 1958.

Schedule

Subject to the other provisions of this Schedule, the revised minimum rates of wages payable to employees per thousand bidis (when leave