Judgment

TULZAPURKAR, J.:- This appeal by special leave raises the question about the eligibility of the appellant to a higher pay scale under G.O.M. No. 574 P.R. dated October 20, 1975 with effect from November 1, 1974.

2. The facts giving rise to the question may be stated : the appellant passed Diploma in Ayurvedic Medicine (DAM) from Kerala University in the year 1962, having studied this course for four years and nine months with one more year of House Surgeoncy. Besides Ayurvedic Medicine this course consisted of Modern Medicine also. This Diploma is also included in the Second Schedule to the Indian Medicine Central Council Act, 1970. According to the appellant the Government of Kerala had treated the holders of D.A.M. on par with holders of G.C.I.M. (Graduate of the College of Integrated Medicine) and L.I.M. (Licentiate in Indigenous Medicine) in regard to registration of medical practitioners in modem medicine, and all the three were also entitled to Class A Registration Certificate under the Andhra Ayurvedic and Homoeopathic Medical Practitioners Registration Act, 1956 (hereinafter called the Registration Act).

3. In response to the advertisement published by the Zilla Paris