ORDER:

The writ petition is filed under Article 226 of Constitution of India, seeking the following main prayer:-

“……..declaring the Circular No. RU/Teaching Estt./Circular/2017, dt. 18.05.2017 issued by the 1^st Respondent as arbitrary, illegal, malafide, discriminatory and unconstitutional violating Article 14, 16 and 21 of the Constitution of India and set aside the same in so far as the Petitioners are concerned and issue consequential directions restraining the Respondents from replacing the Petitioners by any other contract lecturers in pursuance of the Circular No. RU/Teaching Estt./Circular/2017, dt. 18.05.2017 and issue further directions directing the Respondents to continue the Petitioners as contract lecturers till regularizing their services against regular posts and pass…….”

2. Heard Sri S. Karunakar, learned counsel representing the learned counsel for the petitioners, Smt. N. Vijay Santhi, learned Standing Counsel for the 1^st respondent University and the learned Assistant Government Pleader for Higher Education.

Brief case of the petitioners

3. The petitioner No.1 was initially appointed as Research Associate in the year 1987 and Teaching Assistant in the year 1998 at S.