HARINDERPAL SINGH Vs. BOARD OF DIRECTORS, GURDASPUR, AMRITSAR

JUDGEMENT

(1.) This order will dispose of Civil Writ Petition No. 6911 of 1987 and 6811 of 1988 as common questions of law and fact are involved therein. The facts have, however, been extracted from Civil Writ Petition No. 6911 of 1987, Harinder Pal Singh v. Board of Directors and others, as it is this case which has been argued.

(2.) Petitioner, Harinder Pal Singh through present writ filed by him under Articles 226/227 of the Constitution of India, seeks a writ in the nature of mandamus directing the respondents to recast the merit Est of selected candidates by placing him above respondent No. 4, who secured equal marks with him as it was petitioner who was senior in age and possessed higher qualifications and had, thus, precedence for appointment to the post under contention than respondent No. 4 - Ajai Pal Singh.

(3.) Brief facts of the case reveal that Gurdaspur-Amritsar Kshetriya Gramin Vikas Bank, Gurdaspur issued an advertisement inviting applications for the post of Officer in general category in the grade of Rs. 925-1580/- which appeared in Punjabi Tribune dated February 25, 1985. Petitioner, who was eligible and answered prerequisites, applied for the said post. After doing his B.A. from Guru Nanak Dev University, Amritsar in April 1982, he had also passed M.A. (History) from the same very University in August, 1984. He appeared in the Test conducted by the respondents in October, 1985 and secured 92 marks. Likewise, respondent No. 4 and one other also secured 92 marks. Even though he was senior in age and was more qualified, it was respondent No. 4 who found place over and above him resulting into his non-appointment to the post under contention. When Ajai Pal Singh, in consequence of his selection, was issued appointment letter in September, 1987, he made a representation to the General Manager, National Agriculture Bank & Rural Development, Sector-17, Chandigarh. When, however, his demand for justice evoked no interest with the respondents whatsoever, he filed the present writ for the relief as indicated in the earlier part of the judgment.