B.K. Sharma, J.

1. All the writ petitions pertaining to the same issue, i.e. the promotion and seniority in the post of Addl. Chief Engineer in the Water Resources Department, Government of Assam, have been heard together and are being disposed of by this common judgment and order.

2. At the very outset, upon hearing the learned Counsel for the parties, although it was pointed that all the cases are governed by the earlier decisions of this Court reported in 2007 (4) GLT 587: Khaninder Nath Choudhury v. State of Assam and Ors. and 2010 (3) GLT 377: Bhogeswari Saikia v. State of Assam and Ors., it was argued by the contesting counsel that their being distinctive features involved in the writ petitions, it is possible to take a different view of the matter.

3. The brief leading to the filing of the writ petitions are as follows:

W.P.(C) No. 3773/2010

4. The four writ petitions involved in this writ petition are aggrieved by the recommendation of the selection committee dated 20.05.2010 recommending the Respondent No. 4 and 5 for promotion to the post of Addl. Chief Engineer. The cadre strength of the Addl. Chief Engineer is 7(seven) and the promotion to the said cadre is governed by