JUDGMENT

M. Jagannadha Rao, J. -Delay condoned in all the Special Leave petitions. Leave granted. Transposition application in SLP (C) Nos. 289-292/99 allowed.

2. In all these appeals, the correctness of the judgment of the Delhi High Court in L.P.A. 95/94 and Writ petitions batch dated 12.5.1998 is involved. The appellants (except in SLP (C)....... CC.3960/99) are the various candidates seeking appointment as Assistant Engineer (Civil) in the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (hereinafter referred to as MCD) and whose claims for appointment have been accepted by the High Court. We shall describe them as "appellants" in this judgment. The Civil Appeal arising out of SLP (C)....... (CC. 3960/99) is filed by the contesting respondents in the above appeals. These are those whose selections have been upheld by the High Court though there was some "irregularity" but whose seniority is in question now. We shall call them `respondents for convenience.

3. A brief resume of the events which have led to the filing of these appeals is necessary. On 30.6.1989, the MCD invited applications for filling up 60 posts of Assistant Engineer (Civil) in the Engineering Department of the MCD. The application