JUDGEMENT :

All these petitions have been heard together and are being disposed of by a common judgment as identical questions of facts and law are involved.

2. Brief facts necessary for adjudication of these petitions are that all the petitioners are employees of police department of the State. They belong to ministerial staff and were initially engaged as Clerks. In the context of matter in issue, it will suffice to notice the posts respectively held by the petitioners as on 01.01.1996. Petitioners in CWPOA No. 4777 of 2019 and CWPOA No. 4737 of 2019 were holding posts of Clerks as on 01.01.1996, whereas petitioners in CWPOA Nos. 4691 and 4918 of 2019 were holding posts of Senior Clerks as on the said date.

3. Respondents State had notified Recruitment and Promotion Rules for the post of Clerk (Class­III Non-Gazetted) in the department of police on 14.02.1997. In the cadre of Clerks, three separate categories were carved. First being in the pay­scale of 950­1800 (basic entry scale with initial start of Rs.1000/­) for Clerks, second being in the pay­scale of Rs.1200­2130 for Seni