ORDER

1. These appeals by way of special leave are directed against the judgment of the Division Bench of the Punjab and Haryana High Court dated 15th March, 2010 whereby the writ petition challenging the provision of a retirement age for auctioneers in the Market Committee, have been dismissed. The facts are as under:-

2. The appellants, and several others who had filed writ petitions in the High Court, were working as auctioneers on commission basis in the Market Committee, Kaithal since the year 1963-64 as per Rule 24(5) of the Punjab Agricultural Produce Markets General Rules, 1962, (hereinafter for short 'the Rules'). On 3rd November, 1992, the Chief Administrator, Haryana State Agricultural Board addressed a directive to the Chairmen and Secretaries of the Market Committees reiterating a directive dated 26th August, 1982, that the auctioneers on commission basis should not be allowed to work beyond the age of 60 years. As a consequence of the aforesaid instructions, the services of the appellants were terminated on 27th August, 2000 as they had crossed the age of 60 years. The instructions aforesaid were accordingly, challenged before the High Court. On notice, the respondent