JUDGMENT

S.B.MAJMUDAR, J.

(1) LEAVE granted.

(2) THIS appeal by special leave is against the order of central Administrative tribunal (CAT), Principal bench, New Delhi dismissing Original Application No. 2937 of 1991 filed by the appellants against Union of India and the respondents concerned working in the same department.

(3) A few relevant facts leading to this appeal may now be noted. The two appellants were initially recruited to Class II Group B service of the Indian Defence Estates Service (IDES) in 1969 and 1968 respectively. They were promoted to the lower post of Group A of Class I as Junior Time Scale (JTS) Officers in 1973 and 1975. Thereafter they were promoted to the next higher posts of Senior Time Scale (STS) and Junior Administrative Grade (JAG) in June 1982 and February 1988 respectively by the Departmental Promotion Committee (DPC). Respondents 3 to 27 are direct recruits appointed to Group A Class I Junior Time Scale after the appellants were promoted to that cadre. These facts are undisputed.

(4) RESPONDENTS 3 to 27 were treated as junior to Appellant 1, while Respondents 10 to 27 were treated as junior to Appellant 2,