(1.) ALL these petitions are filed challenging the common order dated 21-4-2003 of Karnataka Administrative Tribunal in Application Nos. 13785-790, 14319,14413,14414, 14471, 14562-564, and 14851/ 2002. They are therefore heard together and disposed of by this common order. WP Nos 26748. 26906-918/2003: the respondents 1 to 14 herein were respectively the applicants in Application Nos. 13785 to 13790, 14319, 14413,14414,14471, 14562-564 and 14851 of 2002 on the file of the Karnataka administrative Tribunal. Petitioners 1 to 3 were respondents in application Nos. 13785 to 790/2002; petitioners 4, 5 and 2 were respondents in Application No. 14319/2002; petitioners 6,1,7 and 2 were respondents in Application No. 14413, 14414 and 14851/2002; and petitioners 1 and 2 were respondents in Application Nos. 14562-14564 and 14471/2002. The petitioners are State of Karnataka, police Sub-Inspectors Recruitment Committee, DG and IG of Police and Director of Sainik Welfare and Resettlement. WP Nos 24568-572. 26028-3. 27505-516,26775,27550,27845-50 Of 2003: the petitioners in these petitions were not parties to the said applications before the Tribunal. They have filed these petitions, being aggrieved by the order of the Tribunal. The applicants and respondents in the applications before Tribunal are the respondents in these petitions. W. P. No 30173/2003: the applicant and respondents in Application No. 14319/2002 are the petitioner and respondents in this petition.
(2.) THE Police Sub-Inspectors Recruitment Committee ('recruitment. Committee' for short) issued a notification dated 04. 09. 2002, inviting applications for recruitment of 324 Police Sub-Inspectors (Civil) and 36 In-service Police Sub-Inspectors (Civil ). The notification stated that the selection/appointment to the said posts will be made in accordance with Karnataka State Police service including Ministerial Service (Recruitment) Rules, 1994 read with KCS (General Recruitment) Rules 1977 and KCS (Direct recruitment by Selection) Rules 1973. For convenience the said rules will henceforth be referred to as the 'recruitment Rules', the 'general Recruitment Rules' and the 'selection Rules'. Entry 10 of the Schedule to the Recruitment Rules prescribed the method of recruitment and minimum qualifications for the posts of PSIs. Out of the 324 notified posts, 162 posts were reserved for "schedule castes, Schedule Tribes and other. backward classes [categories I, ii (A), ll (a), lll (a) and lll (b)], the remaining 162 posts being General merit posts. Out of the 324 posts, 29 posts were reserved for Ex-servicemen, by way of horizontal compartmental reservation. The term 'ex-serviceman' is not defined in the Recruitment Rules. The recruitment notification classified that the term Ex-serviceman' shall have the same meaning as defined in the relevant rules in force.
(3.) THE Recruitment Rules and the Recruitment Notification prescribed a lesser level of physical efficiency tests for In-service candidates, as follows: "to test the candidates Physical fitness, stamina and courage, physical Efficiency test shall be as follows: <FRM>JUDGEMENT_4400_ILR(KAR)_2003Html2.htm</FRM>