JUDGMENT

Ajay Rastogi, J.

The present appeals arise from the proceedings initiated by the workers under the Minimum Wages Act, 1948 who had been in employment after issuance of the prohibition notification dated 17th March 1993 under the Contract Labour(Regulation and Abolition) Act, 1970(hereinafter being referred to as "CLRA Act") upto April, 1996 in the captive mine of the Steel Authority of India(hereinafter called as "SAIL") in Kuteshwar Limestone Mines(Barhi), Gairtalai, Distt. Jabalpur.

2. The indisputed facts which has come on record are that after issuance of the prohibition notification dated 17th March, 1993 by the appropriate Government under Section 10(1) of the CLRA Act, 1970 no fresh agreement, in the interregnum period (17th March, 1993 to April, 1996) was executed between the appellant and the contract labour and the agreement in existence was extended from time to time by the competent authority and the contract labour was allowed to continue on the same terms & conditions till their services were terminated by the contractor after they had proceeded on strike in the month of April, 1996.

3. The contract labours (2040 employees) of Kuteshwar limestone mines who had wo