JUDGMENT

Balakrishnan, J.-Leave granted.

2. The judgment of the Division Bench of High Court Andhra Pradesh is challenged before us. The appellants and respondents 3 to 10 are now working in different cadres such as Assistant Secretaries, Superintendents and Senior Assistants in Andhra Pradesh Public Service Commission (hereinafter being called "APPSC"). The appellants were initially recruited as Typists and Respondents 3 to 10 were initially recruited and appointed as Junior Assistants. For Junior Assistants, the next promotion post was Senior Assistants. Those who were appointed as Typists had also been urging for promotion to the post of Senior Assistants and from 1978 onwards they were given promotion to the post of Senior Assistants. Promotions to the post of Senior Assistant from the cadres of Junior Assistant and Typist were in the ratio of 4:1. However, promotions so made were not supported by any rules but were based on a policy adopted by APPSC. In 1992, APPSC decided that inter se seniority between Typists and Junior Assistants shall henceforth be fixed from the date of their first appointment and the ratio for the purpose of their promotion to the category of Senior Assis