Judgment

K. Venkataswami, J.-The appellants are aggrieved by the order dated 9.8.89 of the Central Administrative Tribunal, Patna Bench, in O.A. No. 172/88.

2. The first respondent moved the said O.A. No. 172/88 before the Central Admi­nistrative Tribunal for declaring that his seni­ority must be counted w.e.f. 11.4.72 for further promotion to the post of Section Officer (General) and the consequential benefits also must be given to him. The Tribunal, while giving the relief of declaration declaring that the first respondent herein was entitled to claim seniority w.e.f. 11.4.72, declined to grant the consequential benefits.

3. The appellants are aggrieved by the declaration given by the Tribu­nal in favour of the first respondent. Hence, the present appeal by special leave.

4. The Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (hereinafter called the ‘CSIR’) is a Society registered under the Societies Regis­tration Act, 1860 for doing inter alia research in the field of science and techno­logy. The first respondent joined National Metallur­gical Laboratory, the second appellant, (for short ‘NML’), a Unit of CSIR, as unskilled Laboratory Bearer on an ad hoc basis on 29.12.59 and was subs