ORDER

These appeals by special leave arise from the orders of the Division Bench of the Madhya Pradesh High Court made on August 27, 1993 in Misc. Petition Nos. 1965/90 and 2091/90. The facts not in dispute are that the respondents while working as Middle Management Grade Scale II officers (for short, "MMGS-II") in the State Bank of India, its Bhopal Circle have challenged the policy of the appellant-Bank dated March 21, 1990 and August 6, 1990 whereunder the officers who have not completed two years of line assignment and two years Rural/Semi-urban service were to be considered eligible for promotion to Middle Management Grade Scale III (for short, "MMGS-III"). The High Court has held that they are ineligible and such a clubbing of ineligible officers with eligible officers is violative of Article 14 and accordingly struck down the criteria and given directions in the order. Calling in question of the said order, these appeals by special leave came to be filed.

2. The Preamble of the State Bank of India, Act 23 of 1955 (for short, the "Act") envisages establishment of the State Bank of India (for short, the "Bank") for extending banking facility on a large scale more particularl