JUDGMENT

K.M. Joseph, J.

Civil Appeal Nos. 1970-1975 of 2009 and Civil Appeal No. 1976 of 2009, having been heard together, and as there are certain common issues, they are being disposed of by the following common Judgment.

2. In Civil Appeal Nos. 1970-1975 of 2009, the controversy revolves around the entitlement to promotion to the post of Inspector of Central Excise. In Civil Appeal No. 1976 of 2009, on the other hand, the controversy relates to the right to be promoted to the post of U.D. Clerk and Tax Assistant in the Central Excise Department. Both these cases arise out of Original Applications (O.A.s) filed before the Central Administrative Tribunal (CAT), Hyderabad and the Orders of the Tribunal in the cases being questioned in a batch of Writ Petitions. As far as Civil Appeal Nos. 1970-1975 of 2009 are concerned, the CAT allowed O.A. 1362 of 2002 and directed the appellants in Civil Appeal Nos. 1970-1975 of 2009 to be considered for promotion to the post of Inspectors. They were originally recruited as Data Entry Operators (DEOs) Grade 'A' and had been working as Data Ent