JUDGMENT

D.P. Wadhwa, J.-Leave granted in all the special leave petitions.

2. In this batch of appeals, it is the State of Punjab in the Police Department which is the appellant. There are in all 18 respondents. They were all enrolled as Constables in the Police Department and later deputed to the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) of the Punjab Police. During the course of their deputation, they earned promotions on ad hoc basis and some of the respondents reached the rank of ad hoc Sub-Inspectors. When they were sought to be repatriated to their parent departments, they were to go back as Constables or Head Constables if in the meanwhile on deputation they earned any promotion in their parent departments. They had served long years in the CID and the prospect of going back as Constables was not to their liking. They, therefore, approached the High Court of Punjab and Haryana by filing writ petitions which were allowed to an extent. The High Court did say that the order of repatriation of the respondents being legal could not be set aside as such. However, directions were issued that the cases of the respondents in their parent departments be considered for promotions on the re