IN THE HIGH COURT OF KERALA AT ERNAKULAM PRESENT : THE HONOURABLE THE CHIEF JUSTICE MR.H.L.DATTU & THE HONOURABLE MR. JUSTICE K.M.JOSEPH WEDNESDAY, THE 9TH JANUARY 2008 / 19TH POUSHA 1929 WP(C).No. 34244 of 2007(B) ------------------------------------ PETITIONERS: -------------------- 1. KERALA STATE ELECTRICITY BOARD, VYDHYUTHI BHAVANAM, PATTOM, TRIVANDRUM REPRESENTED BY ITS SECRETARY. 2. THE SECRETARY, KERALA STATE ELECTRICITY BOARD, VYDHYUTHI BHAVANAM, PATTOM, TRIVANDRUM. BY ADV. SRI.N.N.SUGUNAPALAN (SR.) SRI.S.SUJIN RESPONDENTS: ------------------------ 1. P.K.GOPALAN, OVERSEER, PANIKKARKANDY HOUSE, P.O.BALUSSERY, KOZHIKODE. 2. THE CONTROLLING AUTHORITY UNDER THE PAYMENT OF GRATUITY ACT, (DISTRICT LABOUR OFFICER), KOZHIKODE. 3. THE REGIONAL JOINT LABOUR COMMISSIONER, KOZHIKODE. (THE APPELLATE AUTHORITY UNDER THE PAYMENT OF GRATUITY ACT) R2 & R3 BY GOVERNMENT PLEADER MR.M.P.SREEKRISHNAN THIS WRIT PETITION (CIVIL) HAVING BEEN FINALLY HEARD ON 09/01/2008, ALONG WITH WP (C) NO.37650/2007 & CONNECTED CASES THE COURT ON THE SAME DAY DELIVERED THE FOLLOWING: W.P.(C) NO.34244 OF 2007 APPENDIX PETITIONERS' EXHIBITS: EXT.P1 TRUE COPY OF THE OBJECTION FILED BY THE PETITIONER BOARD IN GC NO.97/2004 EXT.P2 TRUE COPY OF THE ORDER DATED 2.9.2005 IN G.C.NO.97/04 PASSED BY THE 2ND RESPONDENTS EXT.P3 TRUE COPY OF THE ORDER DATED 30.8.2006 ISSUED BY THE 3RD RESPONDENT IN GAC NO.171/2006 EXT.P4 TRUE COPY OF THE JUDGMENT IN O.P.674/02 DATED 10.3.2003 OF THIS HON'BLE COURT EXT.P5 TRUE COPY OF THE COUNTER AFFIDAVIT FILED BY THE RESPONDENT IN O.P.NO.674/02 / TRUE COPY / H.L.DATTU, C.J. & K.M.JOSEPH, J. ------------------------------------------ W.P.(C) Nos.34244, 37650, 37654, 37664, 37665, 37666, 33713, 32273, 32288, 36736, 36737 of 2007 & W.P.(C) No.626 of 2008 ------------------------------------------ Dated, this the 9th day of January, 2008 JUDGMENT H.L.Dattu, C.J. In all these writ petitions filed under Article 226 of the Constitution of India, the Kerala State Electricity Board calls in question the orders passed by the competent authority under the provisions of the Payment of Gratuity Act, 1972. 2. The issues raised in these writ petitions are identical with the issues raised and considered by this Court in W.P.(C) No.18696 of 2007 and connected cases . 3. Following the observations made in the aforesaid decision, these writ petitions require to be rejected and accordingly they are rejected. Ordered accordingly. (H.L.DATTU) CHIEF JUSTICE (K.M.JOSEPH) JUDGE vns