Kondaiah, J. - (1.) These three Writ Appeals by the Andhra Pradesh State Electricity Board are preferred against the common order passed by Krishna Rao J., allowing the Writ petitions Nos. 754/66, 958/66 and 1151/66.
(2.) The Andhra Pradesh State Electricity Board, the appellant herein, issued a Notification dated 15-11-65 calling for applications for 50 % of the post of Accountants in the Andhra Pradesh State Electricity Board service, to be filled by direct recruitment, by advertisement in daily newspapers on 19-11-65. The direct recruitment was open to all the qualified candidates as per the advertisement i.e., outsiders as well as employees working in the Andhra Pradesh State Electricity Board, interviews by the Sub Committee have been made between 4-2-1966 and 17-2-1966, of all the candidates who had the requisite qualifications as per the advertisement. The selections were completed by 27-4-1966 and the Andhra Pradesh State Electricity Board approved the selections made by the Sub Committee on 7-5-1966.
(3.) The writ Petition No. 754/66 was filed on 10-5-1966 by the 1st respondent in Writ Appeal No. 117/67 herein, for the issuance of a writ of prohibition restraining the State of Andhra Pradesh State Electricity Board, the appellant herein, and the Chief Engineer, the Andhra Pradesh State Electricity Board from enforcing the Notification calling for applications for 50 per cent of the posts of Accountants in the Andhra Pradesh State Electricity Board service to be filled up by direct recruitment and for a direction to fill up the said posts by promotion of qualified Upper Division Clerks in the department itself. The appointment orders were issued on 18-5-1966. ON 20-5--1966, the writ petition No. 978/66 was filed by Y. B. Sharma and 18 others for the issue of a writ of Mandamus directing the respondents not to make appointments to the posts of Accountants in the Electricity Department by direct recruitment. On 8-6-1966, writ petition 1151/66 has been filed by 23 employees of the Andhra Pradesh State Electricity Department for the same relief.;