JUDGMENT

K. JAYACHANDRA REDDY, J.:-The questions involved in these matters being common they are being disposed of by a common judgment. All these matters arise out of a common order of the A. P. Administrative Tribunal passed in Representation Petitions Nos. 799/77, 548/79 and 140/81. S.L.P. (Civil) No. 5218/ 85 is filed against a separate order of the Tribunal in R. P. No. 1473/80. The dispute is regarding the inter se seniority between the Supervisors who are upgraded as Junior Engineers and the degree-holders who are directly appointed as Junior Engineers. All of them belong to the different branches in the A.P. Engineering Subordinate Service. First we shall state the relevant facts in each of the appeals and then formulate the points that arise for consideration. For convenience sake we shall refer to the parties as arrayed before the Tribunal.

CIVIL APPEALS NOS. 752 AND 754/ 84:

2. These two appeals are filed against the order in R.P. No. 799/ 77. The first one is filed by the State of A.P. and the other one by upgraded Supervisors - Junior Engineers. The petitioners before the Tribunal are all Junior Engineers in Irrigation and Power Department. They were initially appointed a