( 1 ) ALL the writ petitions involve substantially similar issues and are therefore considered together and disposed of by this common judgment.

( 2 ) W. P. No. 1368 of 2001 is filed by acharya N. G. Ranga Agricultural University retired Teachers Association, Hyderabad and two retired teachers of the University (ANGRAU ).

( 3 ) W. P. No. 16407 of 2001 is filed by the retired College Teachers Association and two retired teachers.

( 4 ) W. P. NO. 23938 of 2001 is filed by the affiliated College Teachers Association and 67 other teachers or spouses of retired teachers.

( 5 ) W. P. No. 6122 of 2002 is by 13 retired teachers.

( 6 ) THE challenge in these writ petitions is to the orders of the State Government in g. O. (P) No. 95 and G. O. (P) No. 389 finance (Pension-l) Department, dated 1-8-2000 and 19-7-2003 respectively. The relief sought by the petitioners is for - (a) consolidation of the basic pension by merging the Dearness Relief (DR) as on 1 -1 -1996 instead of from 1 -7-1998 and other fixation principles; (b) grant of consequent monetary benefits from 1 -1 -1996 instead of from 1-7-2000 and (c) sanction of DR to the pre-1996 UGC pay scale pensioners on par