The issue arising for consideration in the writ petition is the seniority between the petitioner and the contesting 4th respondent and their eligibility for appointment by transfer to the post of Higher Secondary School Teacher.

2. The petitioner contends that she was appointed as HSA (Malayalam) on 28.08.1997 in St. Joseph's High School, Mathilakam, though the approval in respect of the said appointment was granted only from 22.06.1998. The petitioner acquired all the requisite qualifications for appointment as HSST (Malayalam) by April, 1997. The petitioner contends that the 4th respondent, who was also working in the same school, acquired the requisite qualifications for appointment as HSST only by September, 2011. When Plus Two course was started in the school on 13.08.2010, there occurred three vacancies of HSST in the school, with effect from 06.08.2011. The petitioner immediately represented to the Manager on 22.11.2011 to promote the petitioner as HSST (Malayalam) under 25% quota earmarked for “by transfer”. The petitioner represented before the Regional Deputy