( 1 ) HEARD Sri Somesh Khare for petitioners and Sri B. N. Singh, learned. counsel for Bharat sanchar Nigam Limited and other respondents.

( 2 ) ALL the petitioners are serving as Senior Telecom Operating Assistant (Senior T. O. A.) in bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited at Ghaziabad. Petitioners 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 8 belong to Other Castes, petitioner no. 5 belongs to Scheduled Caste and petitioner no. 7 belongs to Scheduled Tribe. The petitioners have claimed the benefit of reservation in promotions. By this writ petition, they have prayed for quashing letter/order dated 1. 4. 2003 and supplementary result declared in pursuance thereto for promotion to the post of Junior Telecom Officer (JTO) in 15% quota, in terms of relaxation in qualifying standards as provided in Class 3 (iii) of the Departmental Letter dated 10,3. 2003. The writ petition was amended by adding grounds for quashing Clause (iv) of para-3 of the Circular dated 10. 3. 2003, to the extent of expression whichever was later and or to declare the same to be arbitrary, illegal, discriminatory and thus violative of Article 14 of the Constitution of India.

( 3 ) THE promotions to the post of Junior Telecom Officer