M.V.PRABHAKAR REDDY Vs. APSRTC

JUDGEMENT

(1.) THE question of seniority of the petitioners is the subject matter of the present Writ of mandamus. The petitioners challenge the Final Seniority List of Class -I Junior Scale Officers notified on 14 -7 -2002 as illegal and contrary to the Andhra Pradesh State Road Transport Corporation Employees' (Service) Regulations, 1964 (the Regulations, for short), seek to place the petitioners in the inter se seniority of Class -I Junior Scale Officers in terms of Regulation 3 of the Regulations and for a declaration that the placement of the unofficial respondents 3 and 4 above the petitioners as illegal and for consequential reliefs.

(2.) THE petitioners were appointed as Deputy Executive Engineers (Dy.EEs), which is a Junior Scale Officer's post. They were initially selected as Junior Engineers (Civil) on 28 -3 -1985. The 1st petitioner joined the service of the Andhra Pradesh State Road Transport Corporation (the Corporation, for short), represented by the official respondents 1 and 2, on 01 -4 -1985. The 2nd petitioner joined the Corporation on 29 -3 -1985. The 1st petitioner was promoted as Dy.EE (Civil) and assumed charge in the promoted post on 25 -4 -1988. The 2nd petitioner was promoted as Dy.EE (Civil) under Regulation 30 of the Regulations on 24 -4 -1988. The services of the petitioners as Dy.EEs were regularized on 07 -9 -1988.

(3.) THE Junior Scale Officers consists of Assistant Traffic Managers (ATMs), Assistant Mechanical Engineers (AMEs), Deputy Executive Engineers (Dy.EEs), Accounts Officers (A/c.Os), Personnel Officers (POs) and Stores Officers (St.Os). Prior to 2001, ATMs and AMEs alone were eligible for promotion as Divisional Managers. The amended Regulations in 2001 made Dy.EEs also eligible for promotion to the post of Divisional Manager. Consequently, inter se Seniority List was prepared by combining the 3 Categories of ATMs, AMEs and Dy.EEs.