JUDGMENT

B.P. DAS, J. — The petitioners in this batch of writ petitions challenge the orders passed by the Orissa Administrative Tribunal dated 17.4.2008 in O.A. No. 904(C) of 2008, dated 1.12.2009 in O.A. No. 306 (C) of 2009, dated 21.4.2008 in O.A. No. 979(C) of 2008 and dated 9.5.2008 in O.A. No. 1097(C) of 2008, vide Annexure-12, and also the resolution of the General Administration Department of the State Government dated 20.3.2002, vide Annexure-5, and the gradation list of the Orissa Administrative Services, Class-I (Junior Branch) (in short “OAS-I (JB)”) dated 3.3.2008, vide Annexure-7. Since common questions of fact and law are involved in the writ petitions, they were heard together and are being disposed of by this common judgment.

2.The petitioners were appointed to O.A.S.-II posts being selected by the Orissa Public Service Commission. Some of them were recruited in 1983 and some others in 1984 and 1987. They were assigned different ranks in the merit lists prepared for their respective batches by the OPSC. In the respective merit list, persons belonging to S.C. & S.T. category, who were appointed as against reserved vacancies, were placed much below in the list than the