JUDGMENT

Syed Shah Mohammed Quadri J.- Leave to file appeal is granted in all the Petitions for Special Leave.

2. The common judgment and order of a Division Bench of the High Court of Judicature at Allahabad in a batch of writ petitions and special appeals delivered on October 6, 1998 is under challenge. The unsuccessful writ petitioners are the appellants in these appeals. The controversy in the writ petitions as also in these appeals relates to the selection and appointment of Principals/Headmasters of various recognised private aided intermediate colleges and secondary schools in Uttar Pradesh and other allied matters.

3. The conclusions reached by the Division Bench of the High Court, in the impugned judgment, may be summarised as follows:

(1) the constitutional validity of Sections 9, 10 and 11 of the U.P. Secondary Education Services Commission and Selection Boards Act, 1982 (for short, U.P. Act No. 5 of 1982 ) as amended by U.P. Act No. 15 of 1995 and also Rule 12 of the U.P. Secondary Education Services Commission (Amendment) Rules, 1995 (for short, the 1995 Rules ), was upheld;

(2) the selection of candidates by the U.P. Secondary Educati