JUDGMENT

Jaswant Singh, J. - By this common Order, the aforementioned seven (7) Writ Petitions, are being disposed of, as the same involve similar facts, identical issues and are all directed against the common Order dated 17.01.2020 passed the Ld. Central Administrative Tribunal Regional Bench Chandigarh (hereinafter referred to as the 'Tribunal') in OA No. 199 of 2019 and OA No. 211 of 2019 whereby the appointment of the Director General of Police (Head of Police Force) {hereinafter referred to "DGP (HoPF)"} for the State of Punjab has been set aside.

For the purpose of this judgment, the facts are being taken from CWP No. 1660 of 2020 titled "State of Punjab versus Central Administrative Tribunal and others" which with the consent of the parties is taken as the lead case.

Background:

2. The background leading to the present litigation is that Mohd. Mustafa and Siddarth Chattopadhyaya who belong to the Indian Police Service of 1985 / 1986 batch belonging to the Punjab cadre filed Original Applications assailing an order dated 07.02.2019 (P-2 Colly/A-11), wherein the Government of Punjab appointed Dinkar Gupta, an IPS officer of 1987 batch of Punjab cadre, as Director General of Po