( 1 ) AT issue in this batch of writ petitions is the validity of Rule 73 of the Andhra pradesh Co-operative Societies Rules, 1964 issued in G. O. Ms. No. 132, agriculture and Co-operation (Co. op III) Department dated 3-3-1993 as amended by G. O. Ms. No. 212, Agriculture and Co-operation (Co-op III) department dated 7-5-1994, which concerns the transfer of employees of the erstwhile Primary Agricultural Development Banks (for short "padbs) to the service of the District Co-operative Central Banks (for short dccbs ) primarily, Rule 73 incorporates the guidelines for equation of posts and integration of services covering the gamut of cadre strength, notional and future promotions, options to be exercised by the employees, inter se seniority, continuity of service and other related matters. Certain employees of the d. CC. Bs. , have been resisting the absorption of the staff of the erstwhile p. A. D. B. employees on the ground that such absorption would affect, adversely, their service conditions and the statutory rule incorporating the principles for equation of posts and integration of services has travelled beyond the scope of Section 11 (2) (d) of the Co-operative Societies (sic. Laws amendment) Act (for short "the Act"), Act No. 1 of 1987 by which the principal act - the Andhra Pradesh Co-operative Societies Act, 1964 - was amended.

( 2 ) THE controversy in these cases centres around the equation of posts in the cadres of Manager, Accountant and Supervisor prior to 1-4-1987, the following was the staff pattern in the respective organisations: Village

Percentage of women population

Reservation as per notification dt. 7-6-1995

Reservation as per notification dt. 10-6-1995

Nellipaka Mallelamadugu Mondikunta Anandpuram

47-92 49-15 48-03 46-87

Women Scheduled Caste General Scheduled Tribe

General Scheduled Caste Backward Class Scheduled Tribe

( 3 ) EVEN before the Rule 73 was framed, writ petitions were filed in this court challenging the action of the Government in accepting the recommendations of the One Man Commission headed by Sri V. Sunderesan, IAS. , a senior civil servant, which went into the question and submitted its report. As all these cases are inter-linked, involving common questions for adjudication, we are inclined to dispose of the same by mis common judgment.

( 4 ) PRIOR to 1-4-1987, credit facilities were made available to the rural agriculturists by two organisations with different staffing pattern. The short term credit was serviced by a three tier structure: at the village level, the unit was Primary Agricultural Co-operative Society (PACS); at the District level, it was District Co-operative Central Bank (DCCB); and at the apex level, it was designated as the Andhra Pradesh State Co-operative Bank. The long term credit facilities were made available by a two-tier structure: at the taluk level, the organisation was Primary Agricultural Development Bank (PADB) and at the apex level, the organisation was the Andhra Pradesh Co-operative Central agricultural Development Bank Ltd. The Legislature of the State of Andhra pradesh enacted Act No. 1 of 1987 introducing what was commonly called "single Window System" integrating the long term and short term co-operative credit structures in order to revitalise co-operative institutions, as stated in the statement of objects and reasons. To achieve this objective, the statement of objects and reasons says, "it is necessary to reorganise the various co-operative institutions on the new pattern to ensure financial viability and easy access by the members to the co-operative institutions in the interest of better administration of democratic function. In the process, certain classes and levels of societies will be abolished and the functions, funds, assets and liabilities will , be transferred to the newly formed Single Window Institutions. . . . " Sec. 15-A of the principal Act was amended by Section 2 of Act 1 of 1987 conferring power on the Registrar "to a