PRADIP KUMAR DAS Vs. UNION OF INDIA

JUDGEMENT

(1.) Grievances of the petitioners in this batch of writ petitions are more or less common and hence the same were heard together. They shall stand disposed of by this common judgment and order.

(2.) An advertisement was published on May 18, 2007 in a local daily "Karmasangsthan". It sought to convey that the office of the Additional D.I.G. of Police, Durgapur centre of the Central Reserve Police Force (hereafter the Force) intended to recruit 84 (eighty-four) 'enrolled followers' in the trades of cook, barber, water carrier, safai karmachari and washer man through an open test. Eligibility criteria were mentioned therein, which the aspirants had to possess in order to compete for appointment.

(3.) It is not in dispute that apart from the petitioner in W.P. 19729(W) of 2008, the other petitioners offered their candidature in response to the aforesaid notice. The common claim of those petitioners is that they acquitted themselves creditably in the physical standards test, trade test and medical standards test resulting in their selection for consequent appointment. While anxiously waiting for the appointment letters to arrive, they noticed a further advertisement published in the Bengali daily "Bartaman" in its issue dated July 30, 2007 for recruitment to those 84 (eighty-four) posts of 'enrolled followers' for which they had applied earlier and were selected for appointment. Claiming that the respondents do not have any right to deprive the selectees of the right of employment based on the selection that was conducted not too long ago, W.P. 16647(W) of 2007, W.P. 19731(W) of 2008 and W.P. 30155(W) of 2008 were presented before this Court on August 2, 2007, August 11, 2008 and December 2, 2008 respectively. The petitioners, inter alia, prayed that the notice dated July 30, 2007 be cancelled and the respondents be directed to offer appointment to them.