P RAJENDRA PRASAD Vs. GOVERNMENT OF TAMILNADU

JUDGEMENT

(1.) EVEN though the interim applications are listed before me, by consent, the writ petitions have been taken up for final hearing and arguments have been heard on them.

(2.) TAKING note of the fact that issues involved in both these writ petitions are identical and common in nature and the respondents being the same, a common order is passed.

(3.) THE petitioners herein are recruited for the post of Assistant Engineer, by direct recruitment, by way of appointment made in the year 2000. THE contesting respondents in the writ petitions are Draughtsmen, Overseers and Technical Assistants working under the Public Works Department. THE Government Order passed in G.O.Ms.No.1, Public Works (B-2) Department, dated 02.01.1990 provides for the appointment by way of promotion from the categories of Draughtsmen, Overseers and Technical Assistants, as Assistant Engineers. Since the said Government Order was not complied with and a notification was issued, for filling up the post in the category of Assistant Engineer, by way of direct recruitment, a batch of applications have been filed before the Tamil Nadu Administrative Tribunal in O.A.No.3348 of 1994 etc. Those applications were allowed by the Tamil Nadu Administrative Tribunal on 17.04.1997, by quashing the advertisement made by the respondents with a direction to follow the ratio in the appointment of Assistant Engineers, between the direct recruitees and promotees, by taking into account the Government Order passed in G.O.Ms.No.1, Public Works (B-2) Department, dated 02.01.1990.