NARAYANA PAI, J. - (1.)The question raised in all these four writ petitions is the same and a consideration of the facts and contentions in WP.2469 67 will dispose of all the four writ petitions.
(2.)The petitioners, K. Satyanarayana, S. Venkataraman, M. K. Gundappa and K. Padmanabhachar were directly recruited as Income-tax Inspectors in and after June 1960. Respondents 4 to 10 in WP.2469 67 were promoted as Income-tax Inspectors before the petitioners were recruited, but after 22-12-1959. There are two more respondents in WP.2469/67 and a further two in another writ petition who were promoted as Income-tax Inspectors before 22-12-1959. It will not be necessary to refer to the said respondents. We shall, therefore refer to the first ten respondents as 'respondents' and the others, should it become necessary, as 'further respondents'.
(3.)Petitioner Satyanarayana was confirmed with effect from 1-12-64 and the other three petitioners with effect from 1-8-1965. The respondents were confirmed subsequently.