The contentions canvassed before the High Court at the time of hearing this group of petitions are (i) what is the character of '1949 Rules ' when they were enacted and whether and when they acquired statutory character ?; (ii) In making recruitment in the manner it was done till '1949 Rules ' acquired statutory character, was there a violation of quota rule assuming that there was quota prescribed in Rule 4 of '1949 rules ' ?, (iii) If Rule 4 of '1949 Rules ' prescribed a quota of 9:1 between direct recruits and promotees, had the Government the power to relax the quota rule when necessary or under certain circumstances ?; (iv) What if any, is the effect on the status of the promotees promoted to the service in relaxation of the quota rule ?; (v) whether such promotees became the members of the service so as to be assigned a place in the seniority list ?; (vi) If prior to '1949 Rules ' acquiring statutory character in 1969 promotions were made in excess of the quota, which principle 951 governed determination of inter se seniority of later direct recruits with earlier promotees ?, (vii) If 1963 Seniority List when drawn up was according to the Rules then in force, could it be rendered ineffective by a revised rule for determining inter se seniority devised in 1974 and given retrospective effect.