ORDER:

This Writ Petition is filed under Article 226 of the Constitution of India seeking a writ of mandamus declaring the action of the respondents in not paying the voluntary retirement benefits, such as, gratuity, ex-gratia and earned leave as per G.O.Ms.No.16, Public Enterprise (PZE.III) Department dated 22.03.2001, from the date of initial appointment on daily wage basis, as illegal, arbitrary and unconstitutional; and for a consequential direction to the respondents to pay the voluntary retirement benefits with interest @ 12% per annum from the date it is payable.

2. The petitioners herein were appointed as Contract Labour/NMR/Daily Wage Workers in the Milk Products Factory, Chittoor, which is one of the unit of the 3rd respondent-organisation and the details of appointment of the petitioners herein are mentioned below:

3 C.M.Sreedhar 690 22-08-1986 4 P.N.Madhava Chetty 691 01-03-1990 And the services of the petitioners were regularized on 20.04.1998 in the time scale pursuant to the direction given in W.A.Nos.1426, 1427 and 1525 of 1987 dated