Whether the prior service of the petitioners rendered in the Central Government, before they joined the service under the Collegiate Education Department in Aided Colleges within the State, can be reckoned for the purpose of pension and pensionery benefits, is the issue involved in this Writ Petition.

2. The first petitioner was working as a Selection Grade Lecturer in S.N. College, Kollam under the University of Kerala and after 21 years of continuous service, he got superannuated and came out on 31.03.2002. Prior to the said service, the first petitioner had worked in the Central Government for the period from 29.05.1970 to 13.12.1980, which service was quit by him of his own and joined the service within the State as mentioned above. In the case of the second petitioner, she retired on 31.03.2004 after 23 years of service rendered in the very same College under the same University and prior to the commencement of the said service, she was also in the Central Government service for more than 7 years from 26.05.1973 to 08.10.1980. In the case of the third petitioner, who retired from the service on 31.05.2002 after a continuous period of 24 years in TKM College of Arts a