JUDGMENT

Rekha Borana, J. - The present petitions have been filed against the action of the respondent Department in denying the benefits of first, second and third selection grades/ACP to the petitioners on completion of their 9, 18 and 27 years of service w.e.f. the date of their initial appointment in their original department.

2. The case of the petitioners is that they were appointed as work charge employees with the Irrigation Department. After completion of two years of service as work charge employees, they were declared 'semi-permanent'. Subsequently, the petitioners were declared surplus and were directed to be appointed/absorbed as Gram Sevak with Panchayati Raj Department. In view of the said direction of the State Government, the petitioners were appointed as Gram Sevak on ad-hoc basis with Panchayati Raj Department. The said order of appointment of the petitioners with Panchayati Raj Department specifically laid down the conditions that firstly, the appointment would be on ad-hoc basis and secondly, they would be the junior most in Panchayati Raj Department and would not claim seniority. The petitioners were then relieved from the Irrigation Department and they joined P