T.S. Sivagnanam, J.

1. In these batch of cases, there are writ appeals filed by the Government and writ petitions and the common issue involved in all the cases pertain to the Plot Watchers, who were working on daily wage basis and were brought into regular establishment, seek for counting half of their service rendered as Plot Watchers along with the regular service rendered by them, to enable them to get pensionary benefits.

2. W.A.(MD) No.51 of 2018 is taken as the lead case. This appeal by the State is against the order in W.P.(MD) No.22833 of 2016. The said writ petition was filed praying for issuance of a writ of mandamus to direct the appellants to fix and disburse pension by counting half of the service rendered by the first respondent/writ petitioner from 01.08.1985 to 01.08.2013 as Plot Watcher on daily wage basis along with regular service rendered by him from 02.08.2013 till 31.07.2016.

3. The learned Special Government Pleader appearing for the appellants submitted that the writ petitioner was appointed as a Plot Watcher in the Social Forestry Division during 1981 and worked on daily wage basis till 2009. During 2009, the writ petitioner along with other similar