SURINDER SINGH, J.

1. Civil Writ Petitions Nos. 6576, 6572 to 6575, 6577 and 6580 of 1975 project common questions of Law and fact. All these writ petitions shall be disposed of by this judgment. The petitioners in all these writ petitions are employees of the Municipal Committee, Bhatinda, respondent No. 2 (hereinafter referred to as the Committee). On 24.07.1975 (in Civil Writ Petition No. 6574 of 1975 on 26.07.1975) the Committee served notices of discharge on the, petitioners purporting to be u/s. 45 (1) of the Punjab Municipal Act, 1911 (hereinafter called the Act). The wording of the notice (Annexure P-2 in all the Petitions) is the same. For facility of reference the notice issued in the case of Ram Nath petitioner (Civil Writ Petition No. 6576 of 1975) is reproduced below:

To,

Ram Nath,

Tax Superintendent,

Municipal Committee,

Bhatinda,

No. 2274/0 dated 24-7-1975.

Notice of Discharge u/s. 45 (1) of the Punjab Municipal Act, 1911 .

Your services are no more required by the Municipal Committee Bhatinda. You are hereby served

with this notice under Sec.45 (1) of the Punjab Municipal Act, 1911 to this effect that you

are discharged with immediate effect from the s