Lalit Mohan Sharma, J.

In the present application under Article 226 and 227 of the Constitution of India, the petitioners are challenging the order dated the 9th August, 1973, as contained in Annexure 11' to the writ application passed by the Presiding Officer, Labour Court, Patna Respondent no. 2 in the case.

2. The petitioners along with three other persons were workmen employed in the Vishwamitra Press, Respondent no. 1, an industrial establishment within the meaning of the Industrial Disputes Act, (hereinafter referred to as 'the Act') In 1957, they were dismissed by the management and in 1958 a reference was made by Respondent no. 3 State under section 10 of the Act, to the Labour Court Patna, Shri Ali Hassan was its presiding Officer. In November, 1959, Shri Ali Hassan submitted his Award in favour of the management and the workmen challenged the same under Article 226 of the Constitution before the High Court in M.J.C. 306 of 1960. The writ application was allowed on 9.11.1962 and the High Court passed an order remanding the case to the Labour Court. In the meantime, Shri Ali Hassan retired and, according to the case of the petitioners, Shri Kedarnath Singh, who was th