JUDGMENT

Srikrishna, J.—Leave granted in Special Leave Petition (Civil) Nos. 9016-9018 of 2004. These appeals are directed against the common judgment of the Division Bench of the Gauhati High Court in Writ Appeals Nos. 78/2002, 79/2002 and 102/2002.

2. The material facts relevant for deciding the present appeals lie in a narrow compass. The appellants in the appeals arising out of Special Leave Petition (C) Nos. 9016-9018 of 2004 are the Food Corporation of India (hereinafter referred to as the `FCI), its officers and the Union of India. The respondents in these appeals are the employees of the FCI, who were candidates for direct recruitment to certain posts. The petitioner in Special Leave Petition (C) No. 11475 of 2004 is one more such candidate of the FCI, and the Union of India, FCI and its officers are the respondents in the said special leave petition.

Statutory Provisions :

3. The FCI was established by the Food Corporations Act, 1964 (hereinafter referred to as `the Act), which was brought into force with effect from 17th December, 1964. As the preamble of the Act indicates, this is a Corporation established "for the purpose of trading in foodgrains and other foodstuffs and f