( 1 ) THIS Writ Petition is filed seeking a declaration that the petitioner is entitled for appointment as Dean of Physics in Respondent No. 1-University.

( 2 ) THE facts lie in a short compass: the Petitioner was appointed as Reader in Physics in May, 1978. He was promoted as Professor in January, 1986. There are seven Professors in the department of Physics in Respondent No. 1 University. The Petitioner is No. 3 in order of seniority, after Sri G. S. Agarwal and Sri A. K. Bhatnagar. Mr. Srinivasan, Mr. Shenoy and Mr. Pathak are next to him.

( 3 ) IT is the case of the petitioner that for appointment to the post of Dean, the seniority in the cadre of Professors in the respective disciplines is considered and appointments made by rotation on the basis of seniority. It is the established principle in the University from the beginning. There are no statutes prescribing the procedure, method and manner of appointment as Dean. This was also confirmed by the Vice-Chancellor in a Convocation address in 1989 for the benefit of teaching staff. Shri Agarwal was appointed as Dean for three years from November, 1977 to November, 1980. So also M. Bhatnagar the next professor