JUDGMENT :

1. Heard Mr. I. Chowdhury, learned senior counsel, assisted by Mr. R.M. Deka, learned counsel for the petitioners. Also heard Mr. N. Goswami, learned Govt. Advocate and Mr. P. Nayak, learned Standing counsel for the Finance Department. None appears on call for the Union of India.

2. Similar facts and common issues arise for determination in both the writ petitions. Having heard them together, these two writ petitions are being disposed of by this common judgment. By filing these two writ petitions filed under Article 226 of the Constitution of India, the case projected by the petitioners is that they were employees of Assam Agro Industries Development Corporation Ltd. (AAIDC for short). The Govt. took a decision in the Cabinet Meeting to close down the said public sector undertaking and accordingly, a notice dated 26.09.2006 was issued. In the meantime, as per the guidelines for Public Enterprises Department of the Govt. of Assam the employees working under various non- viable Public Sector Undertakings (PSUs for short) were given two options to either opt for voluntary retirement scheme (VRS for short) for which a financial package was worked out or for their re-employmen