JUDGMENT :

R.D. Dhanuka, J.

By consent of parties, this batch of petitions were heard together and are being disposed of by common order :-

2. By an order dated 16th November 2021, this Court directed the office to place these matters for hearing and final disposal on 29th November 2021 at 2.30 p.m.

3. Learned counsel for the parties jointly state that the facts and questions of law in all these petitions are identical. The judgment of this Court in Writ Petition No.1260 of 2018 would apply to the other petitions. Writ Petition No.1260 of 2018 is thus treated as a lead matter.

Facts and Submissions in Writ Petition No.1260 of 2018

4. The petitioner was appointed as a Headmistress in the primary school run by the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC). The respondent no.3 is a private Institution running Private Primary Aided School of Greater Mumbai. The appointment of the petitioner was duly approved by the respondent nos.1 & 2. The petitioner retired from service on 31st August 2016 on attaining the age of 58 years and after putting in 23 years of continuous service. The responde