Judgment

PATHAK, J.:- The petitioners have filed these writ petitions under Art. 32 of the Constitution challenging the validity of the Central Secretariat Service (Amendment) Rules, 1979 and of the Regulations made consequent thereto by the Union of India for the purpose of holding a departmental competitive examination limited to candidates belonging to the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes for filling up vacancies reserved for those categories in Grade I of the Central Secretariat Service.

2. The petitioners are permanent Section Officers in the Central Secretariat Service and almost all of them are presently officiating as Under Secretaries in different Ministries. The next higher category in the Central Secretariat Service above the Section Officers Grade consists of Grade I Posts. Recruitment to the Grade I posts is made under R. 12 of the Central Secretariat Service Rules; vacancies are filled by the promotion of, inter alia, permanent officers of the Section Officers Grade who satisfy certain prescribed qualifications. For the purpose of such promotion a select list is prepared. The preparation of the select list is governed by the Central Secretariat Service (Promotion t