( 1 ) THESE are seven connected writ petitions under Article 226 of the Constitution of India involving though familiar constitutional question based on Articles 14 and 16, which are covered by the terse and emphatic enunciation of law by the Apex Court, the setting too is familiar as also the substitutions. For these reasons, a brief narration of facts and a common judgment in all the seven cases with suffice.

( 2 ) 1862 posts of constables in Central Industries Security Force (for short csif) in the pay scale of Rs. 825-1200 were advertised in October 1996. These posts were spread over various states of the country. Out of these 1892 posts, 115 posts were allocated to the CISF unit of Food corporation of India, Gorakhpur and the same number posts, i. e. , 115 were allocated in CISF unit of Bharat Heavy Electrical Ltd. , Jhansi. Separate Boards for recruitment/selection of the candidates of the two units of Gorakhpur and Jhansi were constituted. The selection process commenced at both the units on 20th October, 1996. In Jhansi unit, the process was completed on 8. 11. 1996 while in Gorakhpur unit it was concluded on 16. 11. 1996. The select lists were required to be