S.B.Sinha, J.

1. In this writ petition the petitioner, initially prayed for issuance of an appropriate writ for constituting a fresh departmental promotion committee for promoting him to the post of Engineer-in Chief with effect from the date mentioned therein; but after the amendment in the writ petition, the petitioner inter alia, prayed for a direction upon the respondents-State to give promotion to the petitioner to the post of Engineer-in-Chief in accordance with the due date of the recommendations of the departmental promotion Committee.

2. The facts of the case lie in a very narrow compass.

3. The petitioner was appointed in the post of Engineer Class I service by direct recruitment in the Irrigation Department of the State of Bihar on 22-12-1959. In January, 1968 the petitioner was recommended by the Bihar Public Service Commission for promotion to the post of Superintending Engineer. In that post he was later on promoted and confirmed by a notification dated 1-3-1977 with effect from 110 1972.

4. In the year 1979 a departmental promotion Committee was constituted which, inter alia, recommended that the petitioner be given charge of the Chief Engineer with effect fr