K MURALIDHAR Vs. STATE OF ANDHRA PRADESH

JUDGEMENT

(1.) The 35 petitioners and respondents 4 to 94 are members of the Indian Administrative Service. While the petitioners are promotees to the said cadre. respondents 4 to 94 are direct recruits. The issue between them is one of seniority, which is linked with the year of allotment to be assigned to the petitioners. All of them belong to the Andhra Pradesh Cadre.

(2.) The petitioners were included in the select lists prepared for the years 1975, 1976, 1977 and 1981. After they were included in the select list, they were posted to cadre-posts on an officiating basis, and continued in the cadre posts as such until they were regularly appointed to the I.A.S. Cadre. For the sake of clarity it would be better if we take the instance of the 1st petitioner and give the particulars relating to him.

(3.) The 1st petitioner, K.Muralidhar Rao, was included in the select list of 1975. He was regularly appointed to the I.A.S. cadre on 10-5-1978. Meanwhile, he was appointed on 23.6.1976, to a cadre post on an officiating basis, and continued as such till 10.5.1978.