K G ASHOK Vs. KERALA PUBLIC SERVICECOMMISSION

JUDGEMENT

(1.) Leave granted.

(2.) These appeals have been filed against different orders passed by Kerala High Court upholding orders passed by Kerala Public Service Commission (hereinafter referred to as "the Commission") rejecting applications filed by the appellants for the post of Junior Health Inspector, Grade-II, in Kerala Health Service either on the ground that they made false statement in the application form to the effect that they had not applied in more than one district for appointment on the said posts though they had so applied or applied in more than one districts contrary to the instructions in the Gazette notification published for appointment on the said posts both of which are independently sufficient grounds for rejection of the applications.

(3.) The short facts giving rise to these appeals are that the Commission issued a notification, inviting applications for filling up 348 posts of Junior Health Inspector, Grade-II, in 14 districts of the State of Kerala, published in Kerala Gazette on 2-4-1996 and in Part-1, Note-(2), thereof a restriction was put to the effect that applications should not be sent for more than one district in response to the notification, and if, application contrary to the said direction is sent and the candidate is selected, his name would be liable to be struck off from rank list and disciplinary action will be taken. Part-II of the said notification contained, apart from application form in which application was required to be filed, general conditions. In column No. 8(b) of the application form, a candidate was required to state 'Yes' or 'No' in answer to the question whether he had applied for the post in any other district pursuant to the said notification. Under general condition 25(b), an application was liable to be summarily rejected if a candidate had applied for more than one district for a post in response to the said notification. Under condition No. 29 it was enumerated that if a candidate was, inter alia, found guilty of making any false statement in the application, he was liable to be debarred from applying for the post either permanently or for any particular period and if such a person had already appeared in any written or practical test that would be considered invalid and if any appointment made, a criminal prosecution may be initiated against him and action for removal from service be taken.