Tarlok Singh Chauhan, Judge:

The appellant is the writ respondent, whose appointment Annexure P-7 as Senior Assistant on ad hoc/ stop gap arrangement came to be challenged by the writ petitioners- (respondents herein).

2. The case set out in the writ petition was that petitioner No. 1 had joined as Clerk in the Vidhan Sabha on 2.8.1985, was confirmed on 19.5.1988 and promoted as Senior Clerk on 3.8.1993 and thereafter as Junior Assistant on 2.8.1995. Similarly, the writ petitioners No. 2 and 3 joined the Himachal Pradesh Vidhan Sabha in the cadre of Clerks on 1.7.1986 and 14.7.1986, respectively. All the writ petitioners were working as Junior Assistants in the H.P. Vidhan Sabha, whereas the appellant came to be appointed for the first time as Proof Reader on 23.9.88 and was thus junior to the writ petitioners.

3. The grievance of the writ petitioners was that earlier Clerks, Proof Readers and Junior Assistants were eligible for promotion to the post of Senior Assistants amongst those who had completed ten years service in the feeder category, which was reckoned from the date of appointment in the Vidhan Sabha but now the respondent No.1 had reduced the period of eligibil