JUDGMENT

P. Venkatarama Reddi, J.-Leave granted in SLP (Civil) No. 870/2002.

1. Civil Appeal Nos. 1444-1445 of 1999 are preferred against the common judgment of the Division Bench of the Madras High Court in W.A. Nos. 522 of 1992 and 962 of 1993 dismissing the writ appeals filed by the State of Tamil Nadu. The Civil Appeal arising out of SLP (Civil) No. 870 of 2002 is against the order of the division bench of the High Court in Writ Petition No. 11985 of 1992 which was allowed following the judgment in Writ Appeal Nos. 522 of 1992 and 962 of 1993 referred to supra. Civil Appeal Nos. 1446-1452 of 1999 are those filed by the State of Tamil Nadu against the common order passed in a batch of writ petitions disposing of the writ petitions filed by the Transport Corporation employees in terms of the judgment in Writ Appeal Nos. 522 of 1992 and 962 of 1993. The State has directly approached this Court against the said order of the learned single Judge. Thus, the lead judgment is the one rendered by the High Court in Writ Appeal Nos. 522 of 1992 and 962 of 1993.

2. Broadly, the issue in these appeals is whether the cutoff date fixed by the Government for the purpose of entitlement to pension