ORDER :

M.S. Ramachandra Rao, J.

The petitioners in these Writ Petitions had been appointed in the Office of the Directorate of Insurance in the composite State of Andhra Pradesh initially and are currently holding posts of Deputy Directors of Insurance in the State of Telangana.

2. The composite State of Andhra Pradesh was bifurcated into the new State of Telangana and the residuary State of Andhra Pradesh with effect from 02.06.2014 under the A.P. Reorganisation Act, 2014 (for short ‘the Act’). At that time, the petitioners in these three Writ Petitions were working in the cadre of Assistant Director.

3. Under Section 77 of the Act, it is necessary to allocate the staff to either of the States on the basis of Guidelines dt.29.10.2014 issued by the Union of India under Section 80(2) of the Act.

4. On instructions issued by the Cadre Controlling Authority, i.e., the State of Andhra Pradesh, GA (SR) Department, the Director of Insurance, Hyderabad had furnished updated seniority lists of all categories of employees as on 01.06.2014.

5. Options were then called for from allocable employees of the Directorate of Insurance Department stipulating a two week period for submitting options throu