These appeals are filed against the orders of the Deputy Commissioner of Labour-II, Chennai, in W.C.No.26 of 1999 on 19. 1999 and in W.C.No.248 of 1999 on 5. 2002 respectively.

2. The Claimants in the respective case filed the appeals only in respect of denial of interest for the amount of compensation awarded. In C.M.A.No.1899 of 2000 (W.C.No.26 of 1999), the authority passed an award of Rs.95,744/- and in C.M.A.No.710 of 2003 (W.C.No.248 of 1999) the award amount is Rs.2,09,920/-.

3. In both these appeals, the common substantial question of law raised by the appellants/claimants is that the authority failed to award interest from the date of accident as against the statutory provision contained in section 4A of the Workmen Compensation Act, 1923.

4. The learned counsel appearing for the respective appellants argued that the claim of the appellants having been upheld and the compensation having been awarded, interest should have been ordered from the date of the claim petition. The learned counsels also cited the following decisions in support of their contention:

.(a) 1976-I LLJ 235 (Pratap Narain Singh Deo v. Sriniwas Sabata and another)

.(b) AIR 1997 SC 3854 (Ve