1. The only question which arises for consideration in this appeal is whether the Employees Insurance Court was right in holding that ex gratia payments which the appellant-employer made to some of the employees on 31-12-1975 and 29-7-1976 for prompt completion of a specific item of work assigned to them were 'wages' as defined in S.2 (22) of the Employees State Insurance Act, 1948 (for short the Act).

2. The short facts which are relevant are the following: The employer was conducting a printing press. It is a covered establishment and has been paying contributions in respect of the wages paid to its employees. It had entered with a contract with the Government for printing text books. That work was assigned to some temporary employees. They completed the work a head of schedule in 1975 and again in 1976. On consolidated vouchers Exts.Al and A2 dated 31-12-1975 and 29-7-1976 respectively, the employer paid Rs. 24,137.17 and Rs. 8,751.55 to the concerned employees as ex gratia. Such payments were called 'Inam' in Exts.A1 and A2 vouchers. In letter dated 30-7-1978, the Director of Employees State Insurance Corporation required the employer to pay contribution on those amo