J SARALA DEVI; K SUBAIDA BEEVI; M T ELEYKUTTY Vs. STATE OF KERALA; N MURALEEDHARAN NAIR; J UNNIKRISHNAN NAIR; S SAFFIA BEEVI; K A ACHAMMA; K VENUGOPAL; V VENUGOPAL; P MOHANADAS; C P MANOHARAN; N GOPALAKRISHNAN NAIR; P K VIJAYA KUMAR; K VIJAYAMMA; K PADMARAJU

JUDGEMENT

(1.) The petitioners, who were working as Section Officers in the Legislature Secretariat, have filed this writ petition praying to quash Exts.P14 and P16, and to direct the respondents to retain the seniority assigned to them in Ext.P13, and to review the promotions already made to the category of Section Officers implementing ratio of 1:1:15 prescribed in Ext.P7, with effect from 30/01/1988.

(2.) Although pleadings and voluminous and several prayers are sought for, the issue raised is confined to the interpretation of the sentence "when appointments made to the post of Section Officer since 01/07/1992 are regulated based on the revised procedure, the ratio will be applied as continuation of the old ratio" occurring in Ext.P7 order dated 05/09/1992.

(3.) Briefly stated the facts of the case show that the petitioners belonged to the Legislature Secretariat. Ext.P4 is the Special Rule, which was prevailing in the Administrative Secretariat, providing for ratio of 2:1:1:30 from the categories mentioned therein in the matter of promotion of Section Officers. Ext.P4 special Rule was adopted in the Legislature Secretariat as per Ext.P5 order dated 30/01/1988. This order shows that the ratio, as prescribed in Ext.P4, was also adopted in the Legislature Secretariat without any modification.