Tarlok Singh Chauhan, J.

Since common questions of law and facts arise for consideration in these petitions, therefore, they were taken up together for hearing and are being disposed of by a common judgment.

2. Petitioners and private respondents are all Judicial Officers. Petitioners were admittedly senior to the private respondents in the cadre of Civil Judge (Junior Division). However, private respondents scored a march over them in the promotion/selection to the post of Civil Judge (Senior Division) and aggrieved by such promotion have filed these writ petitions.

3. On 16.3.2004, the State in exercise of powers conferred by Articles 233, 234 and proviso to Article 309 of the Constitution of India read with Sub section (1) of Section 4 of the H.P. Judicial Officers (Pay and Conditions of Service), Act, 2003 in consultation with the High Court of Himachal Pradesh and the State Public Service Commission framed Rules, regulating the Recruitment and Conditions of Service of Members of different cadres of H.P. Judicial Service, nomenclatured as Himachal Pradesh Judicial Se