GOVT OF INDIA Vs. G LIMBADRI RAO

JUDGEMENT

(1.) Leave granted.

(2.) The above appeal is directed against the final judgment dated 13-8-2002 of the High Court of Andhra Pradesh at Hyderabad in Writ Petition No. 9653 of 2002 following the judgment of the High Court in Writ Petition No. 9182 of 2002 allowing the writ petition filed by the first respondent herein.

(3.) During the year 2001, as an advance action for the year 2002, the State Government of Andhra Pradesh's General Administrative Department, vide their D.O. letter No. 1875/Spl. A/2001-02 dated 25-10-2001 decided to send necessary proposals to the Union Public Service Commission for preparation of select list of Non-State Civil Service Officers for the year 2002 for appointment to the IAS under provisions of the IAS (Appointment by Selection) Regulations, 1997) (hereinafter referred to as 'the Regulations'). By this letter, all the Secretaries of the State Government Departments had been requested to furnish the names of eligible Non-SCS officers for appointment to the post of IAS (Appointment by Selection) for sending proposals to the Union Public Service Commission for preparation of the select list of 2002 for appointment to the IAS under the selection Regulations. In the 'subject' heading of the said letter, the State Government had inadvertently indicated that proposals are being called for preparation of the select list of Non-SCS officers for the year 2001 instead of 2002. However, in paragraph 2 of the said letter, it was correctly stated that the State Government had decided to send the proposal to the Union Public Service Commission for preparing the select list of 2002 for appointment to the IAS. In paragraph 3 of the letter, it was stated that those candidates who have not crossed 54 years of age as on 1-1-2002 were eligible.