SANGAM NATH PANDEY Vs. STATE OF U P

JUDGEMENT

(1.) A. P. Sahi, J. These writ petitions raise a challenge to the selections on the post of Junior Engineer (Civil) in the Irrigation Department of the State of Uttar Pradesh. The selections have been held by the U. P. Public Service Commission under a requisition of the Irrigation Department pursuant whereto the posts were advertised on 22-12-2000.

(2.) ALL the writ petitions have been heard together and are connected as they raise common questions of law and fact and the petitioners in the writ petitions are of the general category who are aggrieved by the results declared as they do not find themselves finally selected which they allege is a result of an arbitrary action on the part of the respondents for which several grounds have been urged on their behalf.

(3.) THE Commission in view of the aforesaid changes had also asked for option from the reserved category candidates as to their choice to be considered against 520 posts of general recruitment or against the 367 posts of special recruitment meant exclusively for reserved category. THE reserved category candidates appear to have given their option for the special recruitment category of 367 posts referred to herein above. THE interview was held thereafter between 21-11-2005 to 12-1-2006 where after the final results were declared on 12-3-2006. THE petitioners in all the writ petitions who belong to the general category did not find themselves selected and, as such, aggrieved they filed the present writ petitions. This Court, in the leading writ petition, passed an interim order restraining the respondents from making any appointment against the 367 posts the results whereof were declared under the heading of special recruitment posts. What is to be noted is that there were only 4 petitioners in the leading writ petition, one petitioner in the second writ petition, 2 petitioners in the third writ petition and one petitioner in the fourth writ petition. Thus, there were only 8 petitioners before this Court in all. Impleadment applications have been filed on behalf of some of the selected candidates from amongst those 367 against whom the interim order was passed. THE impleadment applications have been accepted on record as the applicants are all affected parties and are entitled to be heard under the provisions of Chapter XXII Rule 5-A of the Allahabad High Court Rules.