JUDGMENT

AHMADI, J.:—Special leave in all the matters granted.

The appellant, D. K. Sahni, began his service career in 1966 as an Assistant Mining Engineer and rose to the position of Chief Mining Engineer on his promotion to that post in 1980. The Board of Directors of the Company at its 143rd meeting on 22nd March, 1983 resolved to upgrade three posts of Chief Mining Engineers to the level of Deputy General Managers. At that point of time amongst the Chief Mining Engineers of the company, the appellant in the order of seniority ranked after (1) A. H. Dharmadhikari (2) S. Kumar (3) G. N. Misra and (4) T. N. Prasad. A high powered Departmental Promotion Committee (DPC) was appointed to select candidates from amongst Chief Mining Engineers for placement in the upgraded posts of Deputy General Managers. This Committee interviewed candidates and made its selection. Meanwhile A. H. Dharmadhikari was promoted to the post of Deputy General Manager in the vacancy arising on the demise of K.V.P. Singh. Pursuant to the selection made by the DPC the appellant was promoted and appointed as Deputy General Manager in preference to his seniors. S. Kumar and others, therefore, filed a Writ Petitio