Amitava Roy, J.

1. All these appeals register a challenge to the judgment and order dated 14.12.2007 allowing the writ petitions aforementioned, thus sustaining the assailment to the moderation of the gradings of the writ petitioners in their ACRs with the consequential direction to grant promotion to them to the post of Superintending Engineer in the Pubic Works Department of the State on a reassessment of their cases in the light of the directions contained therein. Whereas, the State of Assam in the Public Works Department (hereinafter referred to as the 'Department') has impugned this decision in Writ Appeal Nos. 41/2008, 42/2008, 43/2008 and 63/2008, some of the candidates already recommended by the Selection Committee for such promotion (also impleaded as respondents in the writ petitions), have taken up the cudgel in Writ Appeal Nos. 51/2008, 52/2008, 53/2008 and 55/2008 against the same decision.

2. We have heard Mr. AM Mazumdar, Senior Advocate assisted by Mr. S. Saikia, Advocate for the State of Assam, Mr. P.K. Goswami, and Mr. D.K. Mishra, Senior Advocates assisted by Mr. J. Roy, Advocate for the writ petitioners (corresponding respondents in the appeals) as well a