JUDGMENT

S.C. Agrawal, J.-Special leave granted in Special Leave Petitions Nos. 11270 of 1994 and 20271-20278 of 1996.

2. These appeals are directed against the judgment of the Division Bench of the Gujarat High Court dated May 4, 1994 whereby the High Court has held that the resolution of the Government of Gujarat dated January 31, 1992 and the seniority list of officers in the Gujarat State Forest Service Class II as on January 1, 1992 published under resolution dated January 29, 1993 are illegal and void. By the resolution dated January 31, 1992, the Government of Gujarat has decided that the training period of directly recruited Assistant Conservators of Forests shall be taken into account for the purpose of seniority and that the seniority of Assistant Conservators of Forests selected through direct recruitment in and after the year 1979 shall be determined from the date of their being sent for training.

3. In the State of Gujarat the post of Assistant Conservator of Forests falls in Gujarat Forest Service Class II. Recruitment to the said Service is governed by the Assistant Conservator of Forests (Gujarat Forest Service Class II) Recruitment Rules, 1981 (hereinafter referred to