JUDGMENT

Ruma Pal, J.-The appellants in this appeal have sought to assert their status as employees of the State Government of Jammu and Kashmir with the same rights, privileges and benefits available to other State employees. The High Court has denied the appellants claims on the ground that they had voluntarily surrendered their status as Government servants in 1963 under Article 207 of the Jammu and Kashmir Civil Service Regulations, 1956 (referred to hereafter as the Regulations) and that in any event their claim was barred by delay and laches.

2. It is not in dispute that each of the appellants had been appointed prior to 1963 as permanent Government Servants under the Jammu & Kashmir Civil Services (Classification, Control and Appeal) Rules, 1956 (hereafter referred to as the Rules ) and were serving in different capacities in industrial units which were being run by the Department of Commerce and Industries of the State Government.

3. In 1963, the State Government formed a Board of Directors for the administration of these industrial units by its order No. 189/C of 1963 dated 10th August, 1963. The Board of Directors was constituted by -

(i) Prime Minister