Judgment

M. Jagannadha Rao, J.-We have before us writ petition-W.P. 651 of 1997 and certain Interlocutory Applications bearing Nos. IA 4, 6 to 8 filed in an earlier Writ Petition No. 306 of 1988. The said W.P. No. 306 of 1988 was disposed of by this Court by Judgment dated 22.11.1996 All India Federation of Central Excise v. Union of India1. Aggrieved by certain subsequent events, various parties have filed the writ petitions and I.As.

2. For the purpose of appreciating the disputes in these matters, it is necessary to set out the following facts:

The feeder categories for promotion to the posts in Group A services constituting the Indian Customs and Central Excise (Group A) Service are:

(a) Superintendents of Central Excise, Group B (which consists of all promotees from lower cadres;

(b) Superintendents of Customs (P) Group B (again all promotees from lower cadres); and

(c) (i) Customs Appraisers Group B (consisting of officers directly recruited through UPSC;

(ii) Promotees from the feeder-cadres of Customs Examiners in ratio of 50:50).

3. During the pendency of the earlier writ petition, W.