K.M. Thaker, J.

1. In this group of 9 petitions, Ahmedabad Municipal Transport Services (hereinafter referred to as 'the petitioner AMTS') has challenged the award dated 7.10.2013 passed by the learned Industrial Tribunal at Ahmedabad in Reference (IT) No. 140 of 2011 whereby the learned Tribunal held that the claimants who accepted Voluntary Retirement under the Voluntary Retirement Scheme (hereinafter referred to as 'VRS') are entitled and eligible for pension. Having reached to such conclusion, the learned Tribunal directed the petitioner AMTS to pay pension by taking into account entire period of their service with the corporation. The petitioner AMTS is aggrieved by the said direction. Hence this group of petitions.

2. So far as factual background is concerned, it has emerged that:-

2.1 The respondents (claimants) herein were selected and engaged as drivers, conductors and workshop (bodysmith) and they continuously worked as such till the date when they tendered applications for voluntary retirement in response to the Scheme (Voluntary Retirement Scheme) introduced by the petitioner AMTS whereby the petitioner AMTS invited applications for voluntary retirement and offer