JUDGMENT :

V.P. Gopalan Nambiyar, J.—This is an appeal against the judgment of a learned Judge of this Court, dismissing O.P. 725 of 1971, on the ground of delay and laches. The two writ petitioners were employees under the Kottayam Orient Bank Ltd. They will be referred to in this judgment as petitioners. The 1st petitioner joined the Bank on 2-1-1954 and was an "Agent" in one of the "Branches" of the Bank, from 1-3-1955 to 16-6-1961. He is a graduate of the Madras University, was a J.C.O., and claims to be well-qualified for preferment and promotion. The 2nd petitioner, likewise, was "Agent" from 1-2-1947 to 30-5-1960. He was transferred to the Central office of the Bank and was working there till 17-6-1971. He had studied upto B.A. class, although not taken the degree, and has experience in banking. In pursuance of Ext. P1 Scheme prepared by the Reserve Bank, u/s 45, Clause (4), Sub-clause (4) of the Banking Regulation Act 1942, and sanctioned by the Government of India, u/s 45, (7) of the Act, the Kottayam Orient Bank was to be amalgamated with the State Bank of Trayancore. Under Clause (13)of the Scheme, the Employees of the Transferor Bank, other than those specified in the Sc