JUDGMENT :

S. Ravindra Bhat, J.

1. The appellants are aggrieved by a common judgment and order of the erstwhile unified High Court of Andhra Pradesh in several writ petitions.¹[W.P.Nos.11620/2004, 10601/2004; 13525/2004, 12970/2004, 21863/2004, 1834/2005, 1836/2005, 1838 of 2005, 1858/2005, 1861/2005, 2011/2005, 1348/2005, 18149/2004, W.P. No.6098/2005, 6099/2005; 6100/2005, & 6097/2005; all were decided on 16.03.2005.] The High Court allowed those writ petitions and set aside the order²[Dated 29.12.2003] of the Central Administrative Tribunal (CAT) in a batch of ten original applications. The CAT’s order had allowed those applications and directed proper fixation of inter se seniority of Inspectors of Central Excise, as between direct recruits and promotees. The promotee inspectors are aggrieved, and are appellants before this court.

2. Recruitment to the posts of Inspectors of Central Excise is from amongst two channels- one, direct recruitment and the other, by promotion from in-service candidates: in accordance with the provisions of the Central Excise and Land Customs Group-C