JUDGMENT :

M.S. Sonak, J.

1. Heard Mr. J.E. Coelho Pereira, learned Senior Advocate, who appears along with Mr. Vinod Korgaonkar and Mr. P. Kamat on behalf of the Petitioners in each of these Petitions and Mr. D. J. Pangam, learned Advocate General, who appears along with respective Additional Govt. Advocates on behalf of the Respondents. After hearing the learned counsel extensively, we proceed to dispose of these petitions.

2. Mr. Pereira, at the outset, submits that common issues of law and fact, arise in each of the above Petitions and, therefore, there can be no difficulty in considering all these Petitions together. He submits that Writ Petition No.135/2022 (filing) may be taken as the lead Petition. The learned Advocate General also agrees to the adoption of this course of action.

3. The challenge in each of these Petitions is to the non-regularisation of the Petitioners' services as Technical Assistant in the Public Work Department (PWD). The Petitioners also challenge the Recruitment Rules notified on 2/6/2021 to the extent they render some of the Petitioners ineligible to be considered for regular appointment to the post of Technical Assistant (Computer/Electronics/ Informati