1. The petitioner seeks a Writ of Prohibition or any other appropriate Writ to prohibit the respondent from proceeding with an enquiry initiated by him under S. 7-A of the Employees Provident Funds and Family Pension Funds Act, 1952, (hereinafter referred to as the Act), till the disposal of the petitioners application under S. 19-A of the Act to the Central Government.

2. The petitioner is engaged in the manufacture of hand-woven textiles of various varieties. The petitioner wanted to cover its employees under the Act, and, for that purpose, had a dialogue with the Provident Funds Inspector, Tirupur who visited its factory. The said officer noticed that the regular employees engaged by the petitioner were less than the minimum number prescribed by the Act for coverage and opined that the petitioner can opt for coverage of its employees under the Act on a voluntary basis. In accordance with that advice the petitioner has been making contributions under the Act for its employees on a voluntary basis with effect from 1st August 1972. While so, the Provident Funds inspector, Tirupur, informed the petitioner on 8th April 1976, that weavers engaged in producing hand-woven tex