S.P. Goyal, J. - (1.) This judgment will dispose of two petitions Civil Writ Petitions Nos. 3276 of 1979 and 608 of 1980 - which involve an identical question of law. For the purpose of this judgment, the facts of Civil Writ Petition No. 3276 of 1979 have been noticed.
(2.) The petitioners are members of the Punjab Transport Department Class III service. They were promoted and appointed as Assistants on various dates mentioned in the petitions. Their main grievance is that respondents Nos. 3 to 10 who were directly recruited as Assistants have been wrongly shown senior to them though appointed later than the petitioners. It may, however, be made clear that the seniority is claimed by each of the petitioners against those respondents who have been appointed later than the concerned petitioner.
(3.) Under the provisions of the Punjab Transport Department (State Service Class III) Rules, 1963 which govern the said service, the seniority is determined by the date of continuous appointment. Appointments as Assistant can be made from three sources but 20 per cent of the posts are required to be filled by direct appointment. The direct recruits, respondents Nos. 3 to 10 were declared senior by the Government by applying the rule of rotation which is under challenge in these petitions.;