( 1 ) HEARD S/shri Narendra Mohan, V. K. Singh, N. A. Khan and Devi Prasad Mishra, learned counsel appearing for petitioners in the above writ petitions, and learned Standing Counsels for respondents.

( 2 ) BY means of these writ petitions, petitioners, working as Class-IV Employees as "mali" on daily wages have prayed for regularisation of their services with respondents and for payment of regular wages. During the pendency of these writ petitions, a process of regularisation was undertaken in which twelve Malis, including petitioners were recommended to be regularised by a Regularisation Committee, on 7. 1. 2003, under the U. P. Regularisation of Daily Wages appointment on Group d Posts Rules 2001. Petitioners have also challenged the validity of the process of regularisation and the method and manner in which their seniority was determined for the purposes of regularisation.

( 3 ) THE facts giving rise to these writ petitions arc that petitioners are working in the Horticulture department at Allahabad as Malis on daily wages. Some of the petitioners arc working since 1984-85. They were mainly engaged in various gardens run by the Horticulture Department at alla