Judgment

VENKATARAMIAH, J.:- The first petitioner in these petitions is the Telecommunication Research Centre Scientific Officers (Class I) Association. The petitioners 2 to 22 are its members. They are working as officers in the Telecommunication Research Centre of the Posts and Telegraph Department which is directly under the control of the P & T Board of the Ministry of Communications, Government of India. The Telecommunication Research Centre is engaged in the research and development work concerning the telecommunication equipment for the use of the Department and in advising the P & T Board on relevant technical matters relating to the introduction of new equipment and technology in the existing public communication network. The recruitment to the different cadres in the Telecommunication Research Centre is now being made under the Scientific and Technical Officers Grade I (Telecommunications Research Centre of the Posts and Telegraphs Department) Recruitment Rules, 1962 (hereinafter referred to as "the Recruitment Rules") framed by the President under the proviso to Article 309 of the Constitution of India. During the period between 1956 and 1962 and further till 1965 all the