JUDGMENT :

P.B. SURESH KUMAR, J.

1. This appeal is directed against the judgment dated 07.06.2022 in W.P. (C) No. 19394 of 2019. Respondents 1 to 5 in the writ petition are the appellants. Parties and documents are referred to in this judgment for convenience, as they appear in the writ petition.

2. The petitioner was appointed as Lecturer in a private college affiliated to the University of Calicut (the University) on 02.02.1994. The college is covered by the Direct Payment Scheme of the State Government. The appointment of the petitioner was against a vacancy that arose by reason of the grant of leave without allowance to a regular teacher in the college. Ext.P1 is the order of appointment of the petitioner. The appointment of the petitioner was approved by the University as also the Directorate of Collegiate Education with effect from 04.02.1994, the date on which the petitioner joined duty pursuant to the appointment. While the petitioner was working as such, a regular vacancy arose in the college on 01.04.1997 and the appointment of the petitioner was consequently shifted by the management to that vacancy. Later, the petitioner was placed as Senior Scale Lecturer with effect from