JUDGMENT

Gurvinder Singh Gill, J. - The petitioners, who are employees of Department of Irrigation, Punjab, seek issuance of a writ in the nature of mandamus directing respondents to count the service rendered by them on work-charge basis, prior to their regularization, for the purpose of determination of total length of service required for granting increments of proficiency step-up upon completion of 8 and 18 years of service.

2. The petitioners had joined the Department of Irrigation between the years 1979 to 1988 on work-charge basis. Subsequently, during the years 1989 to 2008, their services were regularized in accordance with prevalent policies/instructions issued by the State of Punjab. The petitioners, however, claim that the period of service rendered by them prior to their regularization, which would be around 10 years approximately, be also counted in their length of service for the purpose of granting increments of proficiency step-up upon completion of 8 and 18 years of service.

3. The learned counsel, while pressing upon the case of the petitioners to the effect that service rendered on work-charge basis is to be considered for the purpose of extending benefits of addit