R. DEVDAS, J.

1. The petitioners in these batch of writ petitions are Bank employees. Since the petitioners have raised common grounds, these petitions are heard and disposed of by this common order.

2. The petitioners joined the services of the Bank during various periods commencing from 1979 to 1982. It is undisputed that the petitioners were appointed on the basis of caste certificates, claiming that they belonged to 'Kotegar community', which according to the petitioners includes the caste 'Rama Kshatriya', which is a synonym of 'Kotegar community'. Admittedly, 'Kotegar community', in terms of the Presidential notification is a Scheduled caste. The District Caste Verification Committee, in some of the cases pertaining to the petitioners, had declined to issue validity certificate on the ground that the petitioners belonged to 'Rama Kshatriya' community which is not a Scheduled Caste as notified in the Presidential Notification. The orders of rejection were passed in the year 1998. Admittedly, no action was initiated by the Bank authorities even after the District Caste Verification Committee declined to issue validity certificates. Thereafter, it appears that the State