( 1 ) JUDGMENT this writ petition is directed against the award dated March 21, 2003 passed by the presiding Officer, Industrial Tribunal (hereinafter referred to as 'the Tribunal') in I. D. No. 168/1997 answering the reference in favour of the respondent workman and holding that the services of the respondent workman had been terminated illegally, thus entitling him to reinstatement in service with continuity of service and full back wages as drawn by his regular counter-parts, without any increment upto the date of his reinstatement. It was also held that the respondent workman would be entitled to receive salary without any increment as drawn by his regular counter-parts.

( 2 ) A brief narration of sequence of events is necessary. The respondent workman filed a statement of claim before the Tribunal stating inter alia that he joined the employment of the petitioner MCD (hereinafter referred to as 'the mcd'), with effect from May 1, 1986 as chowkidar and he was being treated as daily rated/casual/muster roil worker and was being paid his wages as fixed and revised from time to time under the Minimum Wages Act. The services of the respondent workman were termi