( 1 ) THE petitioners are employes of Gour Co-operative Milk Producers' Union-the respondent No. 5 herein, which is a Co-operative Society registered under West Bengal Societies Act. The said petitioners filed this writ application, inter alia, for issuance of a writ in the nature of Mandamus directing the respondents to pay to them the scales of pay as payable to the employee of the State Government and yearly increments which allegedly had been given to other Milk Unions.

( 2 ) THE Animal Husbandry and veterinary Services Department of the State of West Bengal allegedly evolved a scheme commonly known as Operation Flood II for establishing eight (8) Anand Pattern Co-operative Milk Unions out of which four were existing and four were to be set up. Requisites man power required for the said Milk Unions had been recruited through National Dairy Development Board hereinafter referred to as N. D. D. B for placement under various Milk Unions. The apprentices so inducted were to be absorbed by the existing and future Milk Unions and they were also required to execute a bond to serve under the Milk Unions for a period of three years. A sum or Rs. 38. 13 crores were