VIKAS KUMAR Vs. UNION OF INDIA

JUDGEMENT

(1.) The writ petitioners being aggrieved with an impugned notification dtd. 2/6/2022 and merit list dtd. 2/6/2022, issued by the respondent No. 3, whereby the number of posts of Sanitary Inspector were reduced from 4(four) to 2(two) in the General Category, thereby depriving them of employment, are before this Court by way of this instant writ petition.

(2.) The brief facts of the case are that, by an advertisement dtd. 12/10/2007, the respondent No. 3 had advertised for filing up of Group B and C posts on Direct Recruitment, which included 4(four) Unreserved post and 2(two) ST posts of Sanitary Inspector. The advertisement thereafter remained pending, and on 21/8/2017, a second advertisement was issued for filing up of 4(four) posts of Sanitary Inspector (2-UR posts, 2-ST posts), which also stipulated therein that, candidates who had already applied against the earlier advertisement, need not apply again and that, the earlier applications received would suffice. The written test was then conducted on 14/3/2021, and thereafter on 2/8/2021, a Corrigendum was issued that the post of Sanitary Inspector as advertised be read as 6(six) (4-UR posts, 2-ST posts). The petitioners as per the results were placed at number 3 and 4 respectively, in the UR list which therefore guaranteed them employment to the post. However, after the publication of the merit list, the impugned notification dtd. 2/6/2022, was issued notifying that the number of posts of Sanitary Inspector would remain as 4(four) (2-UR posts, 2-ST posts), as advertised vide the advertisement dtd. 21/8/2017, and the Corrigendum dtd. 2/8/2011 was cancelled, as also the merit list dtd. 25/11/2021. A fresh merit list was then published, wherein the petitioners were placed at Serial No. 1 and 2 in the waiting list. The petitioners therefore by the change and circumstances brought about by the impugned notification dtd. 2/6/2022, instead of being appointed directly were however, placed in the waiting list.

(3.) Heard learned counsels for the parties.