(1) By this petition the petitioner prays for a writ of Mandamus or writ in the nature of Mandamus or any other appropriate writ, order or direction under Article 226 of the Constitution directing the respondents to post the petitioner in the Compilation Branch of the Central Railway at Bombay as a Senior clerk in the grade of Rs. 80-220 on a pay of Rs.192/- per month or some other suitable post in the said Branch and also to direct them to fix his seniority in the Complication Branch in accordance with the terms of the option exercised by the petitioner in or about July 1953. The 1st respondent is the present General Manager of the Central Railway. Originally, the 1st respondent was R. B. Lal who was the General Manager of the Central Railways when the petition was field but in view of the occupant of that post having changed D.R.Khanna has since been substituted in his place as the 1st respondent. The 2nd respondent is the Union of India.

(2) The petitioner joined the service of the Central Railway, which was then known as the G.I.P railway as a clerk class II in the Accounts Departments on the 16th May 1940 and on 9th May 1942 he was confirmed in that post. At the date of th