JUDGMENT

R.N. Laddha, J. - By this Writ Petition under Article 226 of the Constitution of India, the petitioners seek directions to the respondent to place them in the Pay Band of 9300-34800+4200 (GP) in ? PB-2, at par with the other Legal Assistants working in the Law Department, Secretariat w.e.f. the date of joining their duties in the said Department. Further, a direction is also sought to order the respondent to grant all the consequential benefits relating to the said Pay Band, including arrears of pay and other benefits incidental thereto.

2. The facts germane to this writ petition may briefly be stated as follows:

Petitioners were appointed as Legal Assistants by the Electricity Department of the State of Goa on 18.04.2007. They were admittedly selected by a duly constituted Selection Committee against the posts created vide order dated 22.01.2007 in the pay scale of ?4500-125-7000. Again, it is undisputed that they were duly confirmed in their respective posts in the year 2010.

3. The Government of Goa desired to strengthen the Law Department at the Secretariat, where the volume of legal work was considerable. In that view of the matter, to fill up three posts of Legal Assista