V MANOHARAN Vs. UNION OF INDIA

JUDGEMENT

(1.) In all these 17 writ petitions, the question arise for consideration is common and identical. The learned counsel appearing for both sides have advanced common arguments. Therefore, by consent of counsel for both sides, all these writ petitions are taken up for hearing together and are disposed of by this common order.

(2.) For the purpose of disposal of these batch of cases, the facts which gave rise to filing WP No. 18326 of 2016 is dealt with in common, as a test case.

(3.) According to the petitioner in WP No. 18326 of 2016, he is an employee of the second respondent Port Trust, employed as Spillage Handling Worker, for more than 25 years without any break in service and drawing regular time scale of pay on par with class IV employees of the Chennai Port Trust. It is the contention of the petitioner that he was originally recruited through a society called Madras Port Spillage Handling Worker's Association after the said Society has entered into a Memorandum of Understanding with the second respondent Port Trust.