Judgment

VENKATARAMIAH, J. :- The petitioners in these writ petitions filed under Art. 32 of the Constitution of India have prayed for a declaration that R. 3 of the Rules for Age of Retirement contained in Annexure I to the Central Bank of India (Officers) Service Regulations, 1979 (hereinafter referred to as the Regulations) framed under Regn. 19(1) of the Regulations is unconstitutional and void, and to direct the Central Bank of India (hereinafter referred to as the Bank) to fix the age of retirement of all the officers of the Bank uniformly at 60 years. They have further prayed for the quashing of the Order dated 25-2-1980 issued by the Chief Manager of the Bank at its Regional Office, New Delhi retiring petitioner No. 1, B. S. Yadav from service as being illegal and unconstitutional and for a declaration that petitioner No. 1, B. S. Yadav continues or shall be deemed to be in the service of the Bank till he attains the age of 60 years with consequential benefits. The petitions are filed by B. S. Yadav, who was working as an officer of the Bank and the All India Central Bank Employees Federation.

2. The Bank came to be established under the Banking Companies (Acquisition and Tra