JUDGMENT :

MOHAN M. SHANTANAGOUDAR, J.

CIVIL APPEALS @ SLP (CIVIL) NOS. 5395-5399 OF 2016; CIVIL APPEALS @ SLP (CIVIL) NOS. 5605-5613 OF 2016; CIVIL APPEALS @ SLP (CIVIL) NOS. 5391-5393 OF 2016, AND CIVIL APPEALS @ SLP (CIVIL) NOS. 5367-5375 OF 2016

1. Leave granted.

2. These appeals have been filed against the common final judgment and order dated 08.07.2015 passed by the High Court of Judicature at Madras allowing writ appeals filed by the Respondents herein, being state authorities, and dismissing writ petitions filed by the Appellants herein, being drivers in various departments of the Government of Tamil Nadu, with respect to the Selection Grade and Special Grade scales of pay applicable to them.

3. The Appellants, in a nutshell, are claiming the grant of Selection Grade and Special Grade scales of pay in the bracket of Rs. 5000-8000 and Rs. 5500-9000 respectively in terms of G.O. Ms. No. 162, Finance (Pay Cell) Department dated 13.04.1998 (for short “G.O. Ms. No. 162”), which has been granted to around 3000 similarly placed employees. The Appellants place reliance on various