IQBAL SINGH Vs. STATE OF PUNJAB

JUDGEMENT

(1.) THIS order shall dispose of Civil Miscellaneous Nos. 18993 of 2003 and 6907 of 2005 whereby the applicants have sought to be impleaded as respondents in the above-mentioned writ petition and Civil Miscellaneous Nos. 18994 of 2003 and 6908 of 2005 for recall and modification of the order passed on 30.4.2003 allegedly directing the State Government to issue notification for handing over the case to the Central Bureau of Investigation (hereinafter to be referred as "the CBI") with further prayer to set aside the notification dated 2.5.2003 and the First Information Report registered in pursuance of such notification by the CBI.

(2.) THE present writ petition was filed by some of the candidates who were appointed to the post of Panchayat Secretaries. The posts of Panchayat Secretaries exist under the Punjab Panchayati Raj Act, 1994 (hereinafter referred to as "the Act"). Section 26 of the Act provides that the State Government by notification may constitute the Punjab Panchayat Secretaries Service. In pursuance of the directions of this Court in CWP No. 9835 of 1996 titled Palvinder Singh v. State of Punjab, selection to 190 posts of Panchayat Secretaries was ordered to be finalised before 20.11.1996. The said posts were advertised in the year 1992. Another advertisement was issued for filling up 800 posts of the Panchayat Secretaries on 14.10.1996. Another advertisement was issued on 17/18.9.1996 for filling up 700 posts of Panchayat Secretaries. It was clarified that the candidates who had applied earlier need not apply again. By way of another advertisement dated 19.9.1998, applications were called for the posts advertised from female candidates. In response to such advertisements, over one lac fifty thousand candidates submitted their applications for appointment.

(3.) ON 10.12.2002, the State Government declared the entire selection of Panchayat Secretaries held during the year 1996-2001 as null and void and the appointment of the petitioners amongst all other over 900 candidates was cancelled. The said order is subject-matter of challenge in the present writ petition.