( 1 ) THIS writ petition has been referred to a bench by Gangadhara Rao, J, on the ground that the questions raised by it arise frequently and, therefore, an authoritative decision thereon is desirable.

( 2 ) THE petitioner is an employee in the Post-Graduate Centre, Anantapur, which has been declared to be an autonomous institution with effect from 1/05/1976, in accordance with Act XVI of 1976. The petitioner initially joined the service of Sree Venkateswara University on 25/07/1960, as a Lecturer. On that occasion his date of birth was recorded as 1st June, 1919. He was transferred to the Post-Graduate Centre in April, 1976 - at that time under the Control of the University. He continued in the centre even after it was declared an autonomous institution. The age of superannuation in this Centre is sixty years. According to his date of birth recorded in the service-registers, the petitioner was to retire on 31/05/1979. Sometime before that, he instituted a suit O. S. No. 604 of 1978, on the file of the Court of District Munsiff, Anantapur, for a declaration that his correct date of birth is 29/12/1921. The respondent herein, i. e. , the Director, Post-Graduate Cen