S.C. Agrawal, J. - (1.) There is some delay in filing of the special leave petitions directed against the orders of the Central Administrative Tribunal (hereinafter referred to as 'the Tribunal') dated July 24, 1991 (in O.A. 636 of 1989) and October 31, 1991 (in R.A. 72 of 1991). The said delay is condoned. Leave is granted in all the special leave petitions.
(2.) The appeals relate to the fixation of seniority in the Indian Administrative Service (hereinafter referred to as 'the Service') of three officers, namely, S/ Shri G. K. Sangameshwar K. A. Belliappa and C. Chikkanna, who were non-State Civil Service Officers in the State of Karnataka and were appointed in the Service by selection. The writ petition is by Raja Subramanian a non-State Service Officer in the State of Tamilnadu who also has been appointed to the Service by selection and has a grievance about the fixation of his seniority in the Service.
(3.) The recruitment to the Service is governed by the Indian Administrative Service (Recruitment) Rules, 1954 (hereinafter referred to as 'the Recruitment Rules'). Rule 4 prescribes the following methods of recruitment to the Service:(1) by a competitive examination; (2) by selection of persons from among the Emergency Commissioned Officers and Short Service Commissioned Officers of the Armed Forces of the Union; (3) by promotion of substantive member of a State Civil Service; and (4) by selection, in special cases from among persons. who hold in a substantive capacity gazetted posts in connection with the affairs of a State and who are not members of a State Civil Service.;