JUDGMENT

B.P. JEEVAN REDDY, J.- Heard the counsel for the parties. Leave granted.

2. The dispute is between the degreeholders and the diplomaholders in the engineering service under the Madras Municipal Corporation.

3. The Corporation of Madras is governed by the Madras City Municipal Corporation Act, 1919. It employs a good number of engineers in connection with the discharge of its duties. Till 1965, there was only one category of supervisors. Recruitment to this category was by direct recruitment of graduate engineers as well as by promotion from the lower category of overseers. Diplomaholders were not eligible for direct appointment as supervisors; they were first appointed to the category of overseers and then promoted as supervisors. The category above the supervisors was that of assistant engineers. Supervisors, whether directly recruited (graduates) or promotees (diplomaholders) were required to put in 20 years service in the category of supervisors to become eligible for promotion to the category of assistant engineers. No distinction was made as between the degreeholders (graduates) and diplomaholders in the matter of promotion or in the matter of eligibility criteria.

4. In