( 1 ) THE controversy in Special Appeal No. 191 of 1998 State of U. P. and others v. Smt. Shakuntala Shukla as well as in special appeals and writ petitions connected thereto pertains to validity of selection of Sub-Inspectors of Police for promotion to the rank of Circle Inspector. The special appeal sterns from the Judgment and order dated 20. 2. 1998 whereby the learned single Judge allowed the Smt. shakuntala Shukla v. State of U. P. and others, Civil Misc. Writ petition No. 20716 of 1997 and quashed the impugned selection of Sub-Inspectors for promotion to the rank of Circle Inspectors and issued consequential directions to the authorities concerned to initiate fresh selection in the light of the observations embodied in the Judgment. Since the challenge in all the special appeals and writ petitions converged to the self same select-list 1996-97, all the petitions and special appeals were lumped together with the aforesaid Special appeal No. 191 of 1998 for decision as a composite case. It would be worthwhile to recall here that some of the connected petitions were instituted before the Lucknow Bench of this Court, but since challenge in the connected petitions