ORDER :

1. The Union of India is in appeal against an order of the Central Administrative Tribunal, Allahabad Bench. The question for consideration is whether the services rendered by the respondent as an ad hoc Programme Executive from 28-10-1976 till 1-1-1979, on which date his services stood regularised as a Programme Executive, can at all be counted for reckoning his seniority in the cadre of Programme Executive. The recruitment to the post of Programme Executive is governed by a set of rules under the proviso to Article 309 of the Constitution called the All India Radio (Group B Posts) Recruitment Rules, 1962. The said Rules have been amended from time to time. Programme Executive being a Group B post, the prescribed procedure for recruitment to the said post is as contained in Rule 4-A. It necessarily stipulates constitution of a Screening Committee with the Chairman or Member, Union Public Service Commission as a member of the Committee, and then after consideration/adjudging suitability, approval of the list by the Union Public Service Commission, whereafter appointment could be made by the Government. The respondent, however, without going through the process of screening a