The contesting respondents contended that the workmen in the canteen had been working right from its inception,that is,since 1967; that from 1976 onwards,after expiry of the contract with the Industrial Catering Services,they had been directly working with the appellant without any contractor; that they sought for regularization of their services by letter dated 28 February 1978; that the said letter was corrected and redrafted by the Personnel Manager to indicate the idea of floating an Association/Society to run the canteen; that this modified request contained in Ex.W-49 was stated to be contradictory to the stand taken by the workmen all through