MARKANDEY KATJU, J.

1. These two connected appeals have been filed against the impugned judgment of the Andhra Pradesh High Court dated 14.12.1999 in Writ Petition No. 25555 of 1998.

2. Heard learned counsel for the parties and perused the record.

3. Appellant Nirmal Chandra Sinha belongs to the Indian Railway Service of Mechanical Engineers (IRSME) having been appointed on 2.5.1958. When his turn came for consideration for promotion as General Manager, he was working as Chief Mechanical Engineer of Southern Eastern Railway. He was. promoted to the post of General Manager on 29.11.1996. He claimed notional promotion w.e.f. 13.3.1996 with consequential benefits. His OA was rejected by the Central Administrative Tribunal, but against that order he filed a writ petition that was partially allowed by the High Court.

4. Against the aforesaid judgment of the High Court appeals were filed both by appellant Nirmal Chandra Sinha as well as the Union of India.

5. In the appeal filed by appellant Nirmal Chandra Sinha, the ground taken was that the High Court partially allowed the writ petition by giving him notional promotion as General Manager w.e.f. 13.3.1996 with consequential benefits, but, th