JUDGMENT

T.S. THAKUR, J. –

1. Common questions of law arise for consideration in these appeals which were heard together and shall stand disposed of by this common order. The primary issue that falls for determination touches the Constitutional validity of what is described as the Orissa Service of Engineers (Validation of Appointment) Act, 2002 by which appointment of 881 ad hoc Assistant Engineers belonging to Civil, Mechanical and Electrical Engineering Wings of the State Engineering Service have been validated, no matter all such appointments were in breach of the Orissa Service of Engineers' Rules, 1941. The High Court of Orissa has in a batch of writ petitions filed before it struck down the impugned Legislation on the ground that the same violates the fundamental rights guaranteed to the writ petitioners under Articles 14 and 16 of the Constitution. We shall presently formulate the questions that arise for determination more specifically but before we do so, we consider it necessary to set out the factual matrix in which the entire controversy arises.

2. In a note submitted to the