ORDER

Leave granted in SLP (C) No. 21749 of 1997.

2. As identical questions of fact and law being involved in these appeals, we, therefore, propose to dispose of these matters by this common order. However, for appreciating the controversy, we are referring the facts asserted in Civil Appeal No. 8375 of 1997.

3. The respondent was previously working as a Lower Division Clerk in the Ministry of Defence since the year 1962. He sought transfer from the Ministry of Defence to the office of the Chief Post Master General. The Directorate, by an order dated 26th April, 1982, allowed the aforesaid transfer, as a result of which the respondent joined the service in the Postal Department on 24th May, 1982 as Lower Division Clerk. He took the seniority at the bottom of the gradation list as per departmental rules. On 17th December, 1983, the appellants herein introduced the time bound promotion scheme in the operative cadres in the Post and Telegraph Department, for providing relief to the employees stagnating in the lower grades by improving their promotional avenues. The Postal Department decided to extend One Time Bound Promotion Scheme and B.C.R. Scheme for those employees who have rende