JUDGMENT

D. Raju, J.-The above appeal has been filed against the Order dated 26.8.1996 of the Orissa Administrative Tribunal, Bhubaneswar, in O.A. No.777/91, whereunder the claim of the appellants before this Court and some others seeking to quash the amendments introduced in 1991, notified on 24.5.1991, which had the consequence of bringing all the Industries Promotion Officers (IPOs) within the zone of consideration for promotion to Class-II service and their further claim to declare that only Rs. 500-930 grade employees alone are eligible for promotion to Class-II post and that those in Rs. 400-750 grade are ineligible to such Class-II promotions, came to be rejected.

2. Prior to coming into force of the Orissa Industries Service Rules, 1985 on 12.9.1985, officers of different categories in the Industries Department under the Directorate of Industries were performing duties and functions of the same nature at different levels in varied fields, appointed to posts with the different nomenclature carrying different scales of pay. Not only there seem to have been periodical revision of scales of pay but changes in their promotional prospects, and their status and position in the hier