ORDER

Hon'ble Dr. Sumeet Jerath, Member (A) :

1.23 similarly situated applicants have filed the instant OA under section 19 of the Administrative Tribunals Act, 1985 seeking the following reliefs :-

“a. Quash and set aside the impugned orders dated 08/04/2016 and 11/11/2016 placed at Annexure A/1 and A/2 respectively and

b. Direct the respondents to reckon the seniority of the applicants as Section Officers (Accounts) from the date when they were appointed to the service and in the order of their merit of selection and

c. Consider the eligibility for promotion as whether for AAO/AO/Sr. AO for promotion accordingly and

d. Further direct the respondents to consider the claim of the applicants for all further promotions counting their seniority from the date when they joined the service instead of the date when they passed the SAS exam

e. Accord all consequential benefits.

f. Award costs of the proceedings; and

g. Pass any order/relief/direction(s) as this Hon'ble Tribunal may deem fit and proper in the interests of justice in favour of the applicants.”

2. The factual matrix of the case as per the counsel for the applicants is that the applicants were selected through the Staff Selection Commis