M.Katju, J. - (1.) This writ petition and connected Writ Petition No. 23044 of 2000 and Writ Petition No. 35822 of 2001 are being disposed off by a common judgment.
(2.) The controversy in this case has arisen in a large number of similar cases, and is also likely to arise in a large number of cases in future also. Hence, we are giving this detailed judgment so that the present controversy as well as other controversies of similar nature may be set at rest.
(3.) We are concerned with the placement of teachers selected under the U. P. Higher Education Service Commission Act, 1980 (hereinafter referred to as the Act) in degree and postgraduate colleges in U. P. The procedure of appointment of the teachers is given in Section 12 of the said Act. Under the Act, appointments of teachers, which would include Principals vide Section 2 (g) of the Act read with Section 2 (18) of the U. P. State Universities Act, involves two stages. In the first stage, selection is done by the U. P. Higher Education Service Commission. Thereafter, in the second stage, placement in a particular college is done by the Director of Higher Education, U. P.;