JUDGMENT

The brief history of the litigation leading to the passing of the impugned order dated March 5, 1991 may be noticed in order to appreciate the real dispute between the parties. In 1983 a large number of writ petitions were filed in the High Court of Judicature at Allahabad (Lucknow Bench) which were heard by a Division Bench on January 18, 1984. The writ petitions related to employees of the Marketing Division in the Food & Civil Supplies Department of the State of Uttar Pradesh comprising Marketing Inspectors whose appointment under the relevant recruitment rules could be by direct recruitment and promotion in the ratio of 50:50. The grievance made by the petitioners was that while their juniors had been promoted as Marketing Inspectors against regular posts they had been ignored merely because they were occupying seasonal posts and were thus discriminated against. They, therefore, prayed that they should not be reverted and should be allowed to continue as long as the injuniors were occupying the post of Marketing Inspectors. Out of the batch of petitions, certain petitions were filed by temporary junior grade clerks or accountants, who also apprehended their retrenchment