MADAN B. LOKUR, J.

( 1 ) THE PETITIONERS ARE LADIES EMPLOYED WITH RESPONDENT NO. 2. THEY HAD FILED A CLAIM UNDER SECTION 7 (1) (B) OF THE EQUAL REMUNERATION ACT, 1976 (THE ACT) CLAIMING THE SAME PAY-SCALE AS GRANTED TO MEN PERFORMING THE SAME WORK.

( 2 ) SECTION 7 (1) (B) OF THE ACT READS AS FOLLOWS: -

"7. POWER OF APPROPRIATE GOVERNMENT TO APPOINT AUTHORITIES FOR HEARING AND DECIDING CLAIMS AND COMPLAINTS.- (1) THE APPROPRIATE GOVERNMENT MAY, BY NOTIFICATION, APPOINT SUCH OFFICERS, NOT BELOW THE RANK OF A LABOUR OFFICER, AS IT THINKS FIT TO BE THE AUTHORITIES FOR THE PURPOSE OF HEARING AND DECIDING - (A) xxx XXX XXX (B) claims ARISING OUT OF NON-PAYMENT OF WAGES AT EQUAL RATES TO MEN AND WOMEN WORKERS AND MAY, BY THE SAME OR SUBSEQUENT NOTIFICATION, DEFINE THE LOCAL LIMITS WITHIN WHICH EACH SUCH AUTHORITY SHALL EXERCISE ITS JURISDICTION. (2) TO (8) xxx XXX XXX"

( 3 ) ACCORDING TO THE PETITIONERS, THEY WERE WORKING AS PACKERS SINCE SOMETIME IN 1978. BY AN ORDER DATED 8th OCTOBER, 1984, THEY WERE APPOINTED TO A REGULAR PAY-SCALE WITH EFFECT FROM 1st SEPTEMBER, 1984, THE PAY-SCALE BEING RS. 150-240-360. THEIR MALE COUNTERPARTS, WHO WERE DOING THE SAME OR SIMILAR WORK WERE APPOINTED IN

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