JUDGMENT

The Judgment of the Court was delivered by

M. JAGANNADHA RAO, J. - Leave granted in special leave petitions.

2. These three appeals arise out of the dispute between general candidates and reserved candidates in Haryana in regard to their seniority. The appellants are the reserved candidates. In Haryana, it is important to note that the Government had issued a circular on 9-2-1979 that on promotion at the roster point, the reserved candidates would not count their seniority. This was reiterated by an elaborate circular dated 10-1-1997 recently issued after Ajit Singh (Ajit Singh Januja v. State of Punjab, (1996) 2 SCC 715 : 1996 SCC (L&S) 540 : (1996) 33 ATC 239) (hereinafter called Ajit Singh I ((Ajit Singh Januja v. State of Punjab, (1996) 2 SCC 715 : 1996 SCC (L&S) 540 : (1996) 33 ATC 239)) was decided by this Court on 1-3-1996. Before us, the learned Senior Counsel for the State of Haryana, Shri Rajeev Dhavan submitted that the said circulars correctly reflect the legal position.

3. Today, we have delivered judgment in IAs Nos. 1 to 3 filed by the State of Punjab in CAs Nos. 3792-94 of 1989 (Ajit Singh case). We shall describe it as Ajit Singh II (Ajit Singh v. State of