- (1.) Civil Appeal Nos. 6101, 6102, 6103 and 6104 of 2009 are filed by the State against the common judgment dated 15.06.2007 passed by the High Court of Himachal Pradesh at Shimla in Civil Writ Petition Nos. 586 of 1999, 66, 118 and 170 of 2000 wherein the High Court allowed the writ petitions filed by the State employees working in the Forest Department by setting aside the judgment/order dated 15.12.1999 passed by the Himachal Pradesh Administrative Tribunal, Shimla in O.A. Nos. 35 of 1989, 595, 609 and 620 of 1990.
(2.) So far as Civil Appeal Nos. 6097-6100 of 2009 are concerned, these appeals are filed by one set of employees after obtaining leave of this Court because they were not parties before the High Court or before the Tribunal. According to them, consequent upon the declaration given by the High Court in favour of the respondents in their absence, they felt aggrieved and hence filed these appeals.
(3.) In order to appreciate the issue involved in these appeals, which lie in a narrow compass, it is necessary to state the relevant facts infra.;