JUDGMENT :-

R.V. Raveendran, J.

This appeal by special leave is filed against the judgment and order dated 12.11.2001 passed by the High Court of Madras in Writ Appeal No.544/1998 reversing the order dated 15.12.1997 passed by a learned Single Judge in Writ Petition No. 6126 of 1995 and restoring the award dated 23.12.1994 passed by the Industrial Tribunal, Madras in ID NO.65 of 1991. The case has a chequered history and has come up after several rounds of litigations.

2. The International Airport Authority of India (IAAI for short), the appellant herein, was established under the International Airports Authority Act, 1971. It established a cargo complex at Madras in the year 1978. Under an agreement dated 30.1.1978, it granted a licence to a private company known as M/s. Airfreight Private Ltd. (referred to as `Airfreight) to be its ground handling agent in respect of export, import and transshipment cargo consignments. Under the said agreement, Airfreight was to receive payment from the owners of the cargo for the work done, had to engage the services of required number of workers for handling the cargo and be responsible for payment of wages to the workers. It was also required t