S.S.Sandhawalia, J.

1. Whether the construction and maintenance of National and State Highways by the State comes within the ambit of "industry" as defined in Section 2(j) of the Industrial Disputes Act is the common and the core question in this set of cases which have been referred to the Full Bench for an authoritative decision.

2. Learned Counsel for the parties are agreed that in view of the identical and pristinely legal question herein this judgment would govern all these cases. It, therefore, suffices to advert to the facts in C.W.P. No. 2826 of 1981 - State of Punjab v. Kuldip Singh. Kuldip Singh, respondent workman therein was appointed on ad hoc basis as a Sectional Officer in the Mechanical Circle of the Building and Roads Branch of the Public Works Department, Patiala, on the May 25, 1973. Vide letter P.1 the appointment of the respondent was purely temporary and liable to be terminated without notice on either side and further it was for only six months or till the date of the joining of a candidate recommended by the Departmental Committee whichever was earlier. In accordance therewith the services of Shri Kuldip Singh respondent were terminated vide annexure