JUDGMENT

PATHAK, CJI. :— The petitioner Shri Prahlad Singh has brought this petition under Art. 32 of the Constitution claiming that he and other similarly placed Compositors employed in the Government of India Presses are entitled to the status of Compositors Grade I in the "highly skilled" category with corresponding revised pay scales retrospectively with effect from 1 January, 1966. The petitioner alleges that two categories of Compositors have been constituted, one category being the highly skilled and the remainder being described as skilled. The former is entitled to a higher grade of pay. It is alleged that in 1969, membership of the category highly skilled compositors was based on the principle of seniority, although, all the Compositors including the senior persons treated as highly skilled were functioning in identical and inter-changeable posts and discharging identical functions. It is pointed out that one T. R. Thakur challenged this categorisation and the grant of higher pay to the compositors who were classified as highly skilled on the basis of seniority. The challenge was contained in a writ petition (C.W. No. 61 of 1969) filed in the High Court of Himachal Prades