This batch of writ appeals arises from a common judgment of the learned single judge setting aside the selection and appointments to the various posts in the Sree Sankaracharya University of Sanskrit (hereinafter referred to as 'the University'). O.P. No. 16646/94 is filed by five petitioners who applied for the posts of Lecturers in Vyakarana, Sahitya and Vedanta. O.P. No. 16586/94 is filed by a single petitioner who applied for the post of Lecturer in Vedanta. O.P. No. 15752 of 1994 is filed by a candidate who applied for the post of Lecturer in Sahitya. The petitioner in O.P. No. 3297/95 applied for the post of Lecturer in both Sanity a and Vedanta. W.A. Nos. 826, 827,828 and 829 of 1996 are filed by the University against the common judgment in the above 4 original petitions. The other appeals are filed either by the contesting respondents or by persons who are not parties to the original petition with leave and who arc adversely affected by the judgment.

2. The common grounds of attack in all these original petitions can be summarised as follows:

(1.) The selection committee was improperly constituted because the issuance of the first statute was a pre-requisite for