ANANTANARAYANAN, J. :- The Tamilnad Electricity Workers Federation, represented by its General Secretary, and the Madras Electricity Worker Union, also represented by its General Secretary, have instituted this appeal from the judgment of Veeraswami, J. in W. P. No. 45 of 1962. In that proceeding, those appellants sought the issue of a

writ of mandamus to the Madras State Electricity Board (respondent) to forbear from implementing its proceedings No. 2794 dated 28-12-1901, in so far as those proceedings altered the service conditions of the workmen of the Board relating to dearness allowance, casual leave, and National and Festival Holidays. The learned judge, Veeraswami, J. declined to issue the writ, upon grounds set forth by him in his Judgment under appeal.

2. Before proceeding to the central issue that arises for our determination, within the compass of the present appeal, we shall first set forth, in a condensed from, the events that led to the impugned proceedings of the Madras State Electricity Board, respondent. This board was constituted with effect from 01-07-1957, and the employees in the Electricity Department of the Government thereupon became employees of the