( 1 ) IN all these petitions which are instituted under Art. 226 of the Constitution, common questions of facts and law arise for the consideration of the Court. The petitioners have been appointed as Lecturers on ad hoc basis and by way of stop-gap arrangement in the subject of Applied Mechanics. Therefore, at the request of and with the consent of learned Counsels appearing in these petitions, the petitions are being disposed of by this common judgment.

( 2 ) EACH of the petitioners has prayed to issue a writ of mandamus or any other appropriate writ, order or direction restraining the respondents from terminating his services. The petitioner in each petition has also prayed to direct the respondents to regularise/confirm his services as Lecturer with all other consequential and incidental benefits. For recruitment to the post of Lecturer in Engineering/ technology/humanities/science (in different disciplines) in the Gujarat Educational service Class-II (Collegiate Branch) for Government Polytechnics under the directorate of Technical Education, Gujarat State, the Governor of Gujarat in exercise of powers conferred by the proviso to Art. 309 of the Constitution o