( 1 ) BEHIND its apparently simple facts, the instant writ petition raises a very important issue, namely, whether the State can deprive a worker of a decent standard of life, which under Art. 43 of the Constitution the State should endeavour to secure.

( 2 ) THE petitioner, now an Upper Division Assistant of the Durgapur Projects Ltd. , which is 'state' within the meaning of Art. 12 of the Constitution, joined the Projects initially as a Mate in the year 1960.

( 3 ) HIS mother Smt. Indu Banerjee, since deceased who was Headmistress of the "a" Zone Basic School, was in occupation of rent-free two-roomed quarter at No. FB-9/2 with the kitchen and bath in the Coke Oven Colony under the respondent 1, the Durgapur Projects Ltd.

( 4 ) THE petitioner, at all material times, has been living with his mother in the said quarter even after he joined the projects in the year 1960.

( 5 ) BY a letter dt. July 30, 1973 (Annexure-'a') the petitioner's mother requested the respondent 4, the Town Administrator, to consider allotment of her quarter to the petitioner on payment of rent for which she undertook not to claim any accommodation for the rest of her service life.