Appearing on behalf of the petitioners, advocate Narendra Tiwari said that though the government press had advertised 14 vacancies for the post in May and had selected five candidates in posession of ITI diploma, it had ignored the apprentices who had spent about five years in the field.

Claiming that the Apprentice Act -- which stated that preference in selection should be given to an apprentice who has the experience in the field -- had been violated, Tiwari contended that the selection procedure was illegal.

After hearing the arguments, thelocal court stayed the appointment of the five people and fixed the next date of hearing on October 27.