This writ petition filed under Articles 226 and 227 of the Constitution of India is directed against the order of the Karnataka Administrative Tribunal at Bangalore (for short, 'the Tribunal'), dated 20th December, 2002 passed in Application Nos. 6631 to 6643 of2001.

2. The background facts leading to the filing of the applications before the Tribunal, in brief, are as follows.-

The petitioners herein were initially appointed as Reserve Police Constables in the establishment of the Karnataka State Reserve Police (KSRP). According to the petitioners, before their appointment, they were subjected to practical training in the Central Jail printing press and on successful completion of the training they were posted to serve in the printing press as Police Constables (Printing). It is common case of the petitioners, the official respondents and the private respondents that till the year 1981 the cadre strength of various cadres of the printing press was not fixed. For the first time, the Government issued order bearing No. HD 34 PEM 81, Bangalore, dated 11-11-1981 fixing the strength of the personnel in various cadres, twelve in number. Though cadre strength was fixed in the above or