R.AJAYAKUMAR Vs. TRAVANCORE DEVASWOM BOARD

JUDGEMENT

(1.) CERTAIN common questions have been raised in these connected matters and therefore they are being disposed of together. We will first refer to the pleas raised in the writ petitions which have been filed by different sets of petitioners.

(2.) W .P.(C) Nos.28830/2010, 1896/2011, 9437/2012 and 10025/2012 are filed by low paid Temple employees of the Travancore Devaswom Board seeking promotion as L.D. Clerks/Sub Group Officers in existing vacancies. In W.P.(C) Nos.9437/2012 and 10025/2012 the petitioners are also aggrieved by the filling up of certain vacancies by compassionate appointment. W.P.(C) No.822/2013 is filed by six petitioners who are unemployed, aggrieved by the appointments under the dying-in-harness scheme which, according to them, have exceeded the permitted mode provided under the Rules. W.P.(C) Nos.7260, 7853 and 8584 of 2012 are filed by certain temporary appointees aggrieved by the order limiting their period of engagement to 179 days. W.P.(C) No.16154/2012 is filed by the petitioners aggrieved by the appointments made under the dying-in-harness scheme. They are claiming to be unemployed graduates/postgraduates.

(3.) IN W.P.(C) Nos.7853/2012 and 8584/2012 the petitioners are similarly placed and are challenging Ext.P4 on similar grounds. The petitioners seek for a direction to regularise them in service or permit them to continue till the posts to which they are appointed are regularly filled up either by regularising their service or by making fresh recruitment.