Arun Tandon, J. - (1.) HEARD Sri P.N. Saxena, learned Senior Advocate, assisted by Sri A.K. Dubey, Advocate on behalf of the petitioners and learned Standing Counsel for the State -respondents in all the writ petitions. These writ petitions have been filed for quashing the order dated 26th July, 1997 passed by the Director, Animal Husbandry, U.P. Government at Lucknow as also for a writ of mandamus directing the respondents to pay salary to the petitioners from the date of their appointment i.e. 30th June, 1997. The basic facts relevant for decision of the dispute, as on record in these three writ petitions are more or less identical, and legal aspects involved are also identical. These three writ petitions have been tagged and are being decided by this common judgment.
(2.) FACTS in short as borne out from the record are as follows: The Director, Animal Husbandry, U.P. Government at Lucknow issued a circular dated 6/7th June, 1997 requiring the Additional Directors, Animal Husbandry through out the State, to fill in the existing vacancies of reserve category in Groups C and D in the respective offices. It was specifically provided that the appointments shall be made in accordance with service rules applicable and advertisement of the vacancies shall be made in newspapers in accordance with the rules applicable. The circular has been enclosed as Annexure -1 to the writ petition as well as Annexure -1 to the counter affidavit filed on behalf of the State. According to the petitioners, in pursuance to the order of the Director so issued, the Deputy Director, Animal Husbandry, Azamgarh Region, Azamgarh, namely, Dr. Ram Lal published an advertisement, for appointment on Group C posts in Hindi newspaper Dainik Deval.
(3.) PETITIONERS applied in pursuance thereof. Interview took place on 27th June, 1997. Petitioners are stated to have been selected and issued appointment letters on 30th June, 1997. According to the petitioners in terms of the appointment letters so issued, they joined on their respective posts on 25th July, 1997 (reference paragraph -10 of the present writ petition No. 28560 of 1997).;