( 1 ) THE petitioner. Col. Dharamvir Kataria, is the husband of the deceased Mrs. Mangia Kataria, Head of the Department of Statistics and Demography, National Institute of Health and Family Welfare (for short "nihfw" ). The first respondentistheunionoflndia,thesecondrespondentisthedirectorofnihfw,third respondent is Director General of Works, fourth respondent is M/s. Bharat Bijiee Ltd. and the fifth respondent is M/s. A. G. Enterprises.

( 2 ) THE NIHFW, a Government organisation, built two multi-storeyed Blocks of Type IV Quarters and two multi-storeyed Blocks of Type V Quarters in its Campus at Munirka. The construction was carried out by the Central Public Works Department (for short "cpwd" ). The residential flats were taken over by the NIHFW on June 15, 1995. Type IV and V Blocks have been provided with two numbers lifts. These lifts were installed by the fourth respondent-M/s. Bharat Bijiee Limited under the supervision and direction of the CPWD. The lifts were handed over by the CPWD to NIHFW on )une 13,1996. After two days viz. June 15,1996 the lifts were handed back by NIHFW to Electrical Division No. XIII of the CPWD for their operation and maintenance.