ORDER :- These ore seven applications for a certificate under Article 133 of the Constitution of India.

2. The applicants are aggrieved by the judgements and orders of this Court passed in Special Civil Applications Nos. 78 of 1973 and 90 of 1973 to 95 of 1973. By the said orders this Court quashed the orders of the petitioners dated September 20, 1966. All these applications involve common question of fact and law and are therefore disposed of by this common judgement.

3. The two questions relevant for this inquiry which were decided by the judgement of this Court dated April 25, 1975 (reported in 1976 Lab IC 266) are :- (1) whether the period fixed by the Indian Limitation Act, 1963 is to be strictly adhered to whilst deciding the question of laches in filing an application under Article 226 of the Constitution; and (2) Whether the principles followed in equating the posts for the purpose of absorption of employees of the erstwhile Portuguese regime under the Absorbed Employees Act have been correctly enunciated. It is contended by the applicants that both these questions involve substantial question of law of public importance and that it is necessary that the Supreme Cou