1. Whether the applicability of the Modified Assured Career Progression Scheme ("MACP Scheme" for short) to the petitioners with retrospective effect from 1.9.2008 is violative of Articles 14 and 16 of the Constitution of India is the question that falls for consideration in this batch of writ petitions.

2. Briefly stated the facts are as follows:-

The Petitioners joined the Military Engineer Services, Ministry of Defence, Government of India as civilian employees and are working as such to this date. The details of their joining the services and the date on which they had completed 24 years of regular service are noted in the following table.

Sl. No	Name of the Petitioners with MES No	Date of joining the services & the post	Date on which the Petitioners have completed 24 yrs of regular service.
1.	B.D. Kadam – 600051	29.04.1985 Suptd. E/M. Gr.II (Initial)	29.04.2009
2	Balakrishna Raju – 127664	01.04.1985 Suptd.B/R. Gr.II	01.04.2009
3	P.M.Jain – 188656	02.05.1985 Suptd.B/R. Gr.II	02.05.2009
4	P.Abdulla –