U.P.Singh and Gurusharan Sharma JJ.

1. These petitioners have challenged the order contained in letter issued by the under Secretary to the Government in the Water Resources Department dated 8-12-1992 (Annexure-7) addressed to the Financial Adviser-cum-Chief Accounts Officer, directing him to terminate the services of the petitioners with effect from 31-12-1992 after giving one months notice on the ground that their appointments are alleged to have been found illegal.

2. It is relevant to state that the Water Resources Department is new name for the erstwhile Irrigation Department which comprised of Koshi Project Department/River Valley Project Department and other. The Water Resources Department as also its predecessor departments had three separate wings, namely Engineering. Accounts and Land Acquisition and Rehabilitation. Each of the three wings was under the Control of Head of the department who, for the Engineering Wing was the Chief Engineer, for the Accounts Wing the Financial-Adviser-cum-Chief Accounts Officer and for the Land Acquisition and Rehabilitation Wing the Director Land Acquisition and Rehabilitation. In so far as the Accounts Wing is concerned, the Finan