JUDGMENT

S. Muralidhar, J. - The Petitioners have filed the present petition challenging an order dated 30th August, 2016 passed by the Central Administrative Tribunal, Principal Bench, New Delhi ("CAT") in OA No.2910 of 2015 rejecting the prayer of the Petitioners for declaring the separate orders dated 24th June, 2015 terminating their services as Gramin Dak Sewak, Branch Post Master ["GDS, BPM"] as illegal.

2. It must be mentioned here that pursuant to an advertisement issued on 5th March, 2014 by the Senior Superintendent of Post ("SSP"), Aligarh Division for filling up the substantive vacancies of GDS, BPM, the Petitioners applied and qualified in the selection. The Petitioners were included in the list of selected candidates and were issued engagement orders stating that they had been engaged as GDS, BPM. However, the appointment was stated to be on contract basis without specifying any time schedule.

3. In a judgment dated 9th December, 2014 in WP(C) 17 of 2009 (Vinod Kumar Saxena v. Union of India & Ors.) the Supreme Court held that the Petitioners were holders of civil posts and on that basis, they could approach the CAT to agitate their grievance.

4. After the Petitioners