K. B. N. Singh C. J.

In all these five writ applications common questions of law arise, they have been heard together and are being disposed of by a common order.

2. The land owners are the petitioners in these writ applications and have prayed for quashing the orders passed by the Presiding Officer, Labour Court, Muzaffarpur, the Authority under the Minimum Wages Act, directing them to make payment of arrears of wages to their employees, who are Respondent no.3 in each writ application. Copies of the impugned orders have been filed as Annexure-6 C. W. J. C. Nos. 1570, 1571 and 1573 of 1977, and as Annexure-5 in C. W. J. C. No. 1572 and 1574 of 1977.

3. Respondent No.3 in each of these writ applications filed an application before the Labour Court, Muzaffarpur, under section 20 (2) of the Minimum wages Act, 1948 (Act XI of 1948, hereinafter referred to as the Act,) claiming that they had been paid wages at lesser rate than the rates of wages fixed under the Act, by the writ petitioners, under whom they had been working as contract labourer. They also claimed value of food, overtime wages for working on Sundays and annual wages, besides compensation. The applications were regis