1. These writ petitions are filed by the respective petitioners who are teachers of a Vocational Higher Secondary School (Victory VHSS, Olathanni, Neyyattinkara P.O.). WP (C) Nos. 31102/2010 and 21571/2011 are filed by Smt. J. Alphonsa and Smt. O. N. Judy and WP (C) No. 32508/2011 is filed by the first petitioner in these two writ petitions, viz. Smt. J. Alphonsa. WP (C) No. 37103/2010 is filed by Smt. R. Ajithakumari who is a common respondent in all the other writ petitions and WP (C) No. 236/2012 is filed by Smt. C. Swarnamma and Smt. S. Sheeba.

2. The dispute between these parties and other contesting respondents in the writ petitions, is one of seniority. Essentially, the question is whether, on reduction of the post consequent on staff fixation, who among them are entitled to be retained in terms of the seniority.

3. The six teachers who have been appointed as UPSA, are having approved continuous service from 01/06/1998. Going by the seniority assigned, they are arrayed in the following order: (i) Smt. S. Sheeba, (ii) Shri. G. Biju, (iii) Smt. R. Ajithakumari, (iv) Smt. J. Alphonsa, (v) Smt. Seline P. Rini; and (vi) Smt. O. N. Judy. Serial Nos.4 and 6 are respectively the petit