JUDGMENT :

S.N. Phukan, C.J. - As common questions of law and act are involved in all these 21 writ petitions, they were heard together and are being disposed of by this common judgment.

2. Opp. party No. 1, United Bank of India (hereinafter called "the Bank") has transferred 32 of its officers to outside the State of Orissa. But of these 32 officers, 21 have filed the above writ petitions challenging their orders of transfer, vide Annexure-1 to the writ petitions, on the ground that the said orders are contrary to the Guidelines for Posting and Transfer/Placement for officers framed by the Bank, which is annexed as Annexure-2, to the writ petitions. The transfer orders being similar, we may refer to the facts in O. J. C. No. 8779 of 1997.

3. The petitioner has stated in the writ petition that the United Bank of India Officers' Association Central Council have approved the guidelines and, therefore, the parties are expected to adhere to the said guidelines. The minutes of discussions between the representatives of the Officers' Association and the management of the Bank is at Annexure-3. It has been further pleaded that the above officers have been transferred outside the State in ord