JUDGMENT

RANJAN GOGOI, J.

1. Leave granted.

2. Aggrieved by a direction of the Madras High Court in exercise of its contempt jurisdiction to create supernumerary posts, this appeal has been filed by the respondents in the contempt proceeding.

3. Shorn off unnecessary details the core facts that would need a recital are enumerated hereinbelow.

The respondents in the present appeal were engaged as Radio Operators on contract basis in the Oil and Natural Gas Corporation Ltd. (hereinafter referred to as “the Corporation”), a Public Sector Undertaking, inter alia, engaged in on-shore and off-shore oil and natural gas exploration. By a notification dated 08.09.1994 issued under Section 10(1) of the Contract Labour (Regulation and Abolition) Act, 1970 employment of contract labour in various works in the Corporation, including the work of Radio Operators, was prohibited. A Writ Petition bearing No. 15211 of 1991 seeking a direction to the Corporation to treat the contract Radio Operators at par with the regular Marine Assistant Radio Operators was pending before the High Court at that point of time. Subsequently, the union representing 56 number of contract employees engaged as Radio Operators