JUDGMENT

SINGH, J. :— This appeal is directed against the judgment and order of a Division Bench of the High Court of Andhra Pradesh setting aside the order of a learned single Judge, dismissing the appellants writ petition made under Art. 226 of the Constitution.

2. The appellants are members of the Andhra Pradesh Engineering Subordinate Service as supervisors in Category 1 of the Engineering Branch. The Engineering Branch Category 1 includes officers, namely, Supervisors, Overseers, Head Draftmen, Civil Draftmen, Artists Draftmen, Tracers, Blueprint Operators and Building Mistries. Supervisors are recruited by direct recruitment as well as by promotion from amongst the Overseers. The cadre of supervisors include degree holders in engineering and diploma or licence holders. Both perform the same duties and functions in the engineering branch. Promotion to the post of Assistant Engineer, the next higher post is made from amongst the post of supervisors, in accordance with the Andhra Pradesh Engineering Service Rules 1967. Graduate overseers are given preference in the ratio of promotion to the post of Assistant Engineer inasmuch as the quota of promotion is four to one from amongst