JUDGMENT :

1. Heard the learned Counsel for the parties. Perused the writ pleadings and the documents therewith and also the present letters patent appeal.

2. A short judgment of the learned Single Bench in the writ petition has engaged the Division Bench in a letters patent appeal for long to face the final curtain on the matter in issue.

3. The respondents No. 1 to 12 joined together to be the writ petitioners to file a writ petition No. SWP 1429/2009 on 09/10/2009 before the writ court against the appellants No. 1 to 5 herein who figured as the respondents No. 2 to 6 in the said writ petition. The pro forma respondent Union of India, UOI herein, figured as the respondent No. 1 in the writ petition.

4. The appellant No. 1 is Indira Gandhi National Open University (‘IGNOU’ in short), the appellant No. 2 is the Registrar Administration IGNOU, the appellant No. 3 is the Director, Regional Services Division IGNOU, the appellant No. 4 is the Regional Director, Regional Centre Srinagar IGNOU and appellant No. 5 is the Selection Committee Regional Centre Srinagar IGNOU.

5. For the facility of convenience, we would refer the parties herein, i.e., the appellants and the respondents by their re