JUDGMENT :

Kurian, J.

Leave granted.

2. The appellants have been in the service of respondent/Reserve Bank of India for about two decades or more and majority of them are in the fag end of their service. We are informed that some of them have even superannuated. The appellants are before this Court, aggrieved by the judgment dated 13.04.2018 whereby the Division Bench of the High Court has issued a direction to terminate them from service and also to recover all the benefits they have earned in service. Such an order was passed on the basis that none of the appellants belong to the Scheduled Tribe category whereas their initial appointment was on that basis.

3. This litigation has a little other background. In Writ Petition No.1512 of 2004 before the same High Court at the same Nagpur Bench had occasion to deal with the same issue. It appears, the writ petitioners in all the matters taking note of the efflux of time of were not inclined to go for a verification of the caste status, bereft of any supporting materials in view of the lapse of long years.

4. At paragraph 18 of the common judgment dated 01.11.2012 it has been hence held as follows:-

“18. ...It is declared that the petitioners