HULUVADI G. RAMESH, J.

1. The present batch of petitions have been filed by the respective petitioners to quash the Government Order in G.O. (2D) No. 59, Labour & Employment (J1) Department dated 10.10.2014 and published in Part-II – Section 2 of the Tamil Nadu Government Gazette dated 3.12.2014, whereby revision has been made to the minimum rates of wages for employment in respect of tailoring trade in export garments manufacturing industry, hosiery industry, etc. The writ appeal has been filed by the State against the interim order passed by the learned single Judge.

2. The petitioners in all these petitions are either belong to export garment industry or hosiery industry, where tailoring activity is being carried on. They are challenging the revision of minimum wages fixed in respect of tailoring activity in the above industries. The facts, not in dispute and which are necessary for the disposal of this batch of petitions and the writ appeal, are as hereunder:-

(i) Vide G.O. Ms. No.1484, Labour & Employment, dated 12.11.1978, the Government of Tamil Nadu, by virtue of powers conferred under Section 27 of the Minimum Wages Act, 1940 (for short 'the Act'), included tailoring as a scheduled employment for the purpose of the Act, which was followed by G.O. Ms. No.1229, Labour & Employment, dated 9.6.1981, wherein the minimum rates of wages for employment for tailoring was notified. The said Government Order was challenged before this Court in W.P. Nos.5027 to 5033 of 1981 and this Court upheld the validity of the said Government Order.

(ii) Thereafter, G.O. Ms. No.40 dated 25.9.1986 was issued revising the minimum wages for the persons employed in tailoring activity in export garment industry and hosiery industry, which Government Order was also put under challenge in W.P. Nos.10126 and 10127 of 1994 challenging the validity of the said revision and the said writ petitions were also dismissed by this Court vide order dated 12.12.1999.

(iii) Once again, in the year 2004, G.O. Ms. No.74 dated 10.12.2004 was issued by the Government once again revising the minimum wages for tailoring activity in the said industries, which was again challenged in a batch of writ petitions in W.P. Nos.9319/05 and 4239/06 and the same were dismissed by this Court on 22.01.08. Similar writ petitions challenging the abovesaid Government Orders were also dismissed by this Court on 19.09.2011 and 12.06.2012.

(iv) Since the previous revision of the year 2004 was under challenge before this Court and stay had been obtained, the Government had not taken any steps for revising the minimum wages at regular intervals after 2004. After dismissal of the petitions finally in the year 2012, Government took steps for revising the minimum wages which were fixed in the year 2004.

(v) In the year 2012, G.O. Ms. No.306 was issued by the Government reconstituting the advisory board for the purpose of co-ordinating the work of the committees and sub-committees for aiding the Government in the matter of revising and fixing minimum wages. G.O. Ms. No.229 dated 13.6.2013 was issued making amendments to G.O. Ms. No.306 for the purpose of reconstituting the advisory board by including representatives of employers and employees. In pursuant to the constitution of the advisory board, preliminary notification was issued by the Government proposing to revise the minimum wages and calling for objections/remarks from all concerned. However, no representations were received from the tailoring industry. However, representations were received from the workers Union. Finally, the impugned G.O. Ms. No.59, Labour & Employment (J1) Department dated 10.10.2014 and published in Part-II – Section 2 of the Tamil Nadu Government Gazette dated 3.12.2014 was issued by the Government revising the minimum wages for persons employed in tailoring activity in export garment industry and hosiery industry. Aggrieved by the said revision of minimum wages, the present writ petitions have been filed ch