PREET MOHINDER SINGH Vs. STATE OF PUNJAB

JUDGEMENT

(1.) This writ petition has been filed seeking a writ of Mandamus directing the respondents to fill up the posts of Peons-cum- Chowkidars in the office of the Director, Employment, Punjab, in accordance with the selections made.

(2.) In the year 1992, the Director of Employment, Punjab, sent a requisition to different Regional Employment Exchanges of Punjab, for filling fifteen posts of Peons-Cum-Chowkidars, Accordingly, the various Employment Exchanges in the State of Punjab sponsored the names of eligible candidates including the petitioners for appointment as Peons-cum-Chowkidars. The Interview Board was constituted and all the candidates were interviewed and fifteen of them were selected. It appears the petitioners were also among those fifteen candidates selected for appointment as Peon-Cums-Chowkidar. Therefore, the petitioners have filed this writ petition in the year 1995 seeking a direction ot the respondents to fill up the post of as Peon-Cum- Chowkidars by appointing the petitioners also to the said posts.

(3.) In the written statement filed by the State, it has been stated that originally the Departmenht of Finance had sanctioned fifteen posts of Peons- Cum-Chowkidars for the year 1991-1992 but the sanction order was received late and, therefore, the selection process could not be completed because of shortage of time. They admitted that the requisition was given to the Employment Exchanges and petitioners and some others were interviewed and fifteen candidates were selected. But according to the respondents, as the Finance Department did not sanction the said posts for the succeeding years i.e. 1992-93, 1993-94 and 1994-95 the appointment letters could not be issued to the petitioners as the posts had lapsed in the year 1992 and thereafter these have not been sanctioned. Therefore, the respondents contended that the writ petition is liable to be dismissed as there are no sanctioned posts to be filled up by appointing the candidates selected.