RAHUL JAIN Vs. BARODA RAJASTHAN KSHETRIYA GRAMIN BANK

JUDGEMENT

(1.) The instant intra court appeal is directed against the order dtd. 17/12/2021 passed by the learned Single Bench, whereby the writ petition filed by the petitioners (appellants herein) seeking a direction upon respondents to fill up 126 vacancies pertaining to Officer Scale-II (GBO) by allotting candidates as per merit and preference to Baroda Rajasthan Kshetriya Gramin Bank (hereinafter referred to as 'BRKGB') was dismissed.

(2.) Brief facts of the case are that the respondent No. 3 i.e. IBPS vide notification dtd. 1/7/2020 initiated Common Recruitment Process for recruitment of Officers Scale-I, II and III and Office Assistant (Multipurpose) for 43 Regional Rural Banks (RRBs)-IX (hereinafter referred to as 'CRP-RRBs-IX'). In the CRP-RRBs-IX, vacancies pertaining to Scale-II- General Banking Officers (hereinafter referred to as 'Officer Scale-II (GBO)') of BRKGB i.e. respondent No.1 were shown to be vacant. The appellants applied to the post of Officer Scale-II (GBO) under their respective categories. In the applications forms, appellants were required to give options indicating preference for RRBs in the order of 'most preferred' to 'least preferred'. The appellants indicated 'BRKGB' as their first preference. The appellants appeared for the scheduled examination on 18/10/2020 and were declared eligible for interview. Thereupon, appellants appeared for interview on the specified dates in December, 2020. A notice was issued by IBPS dtd. 3/2/2021, provisionally allotting selected candidates to the post of Officer Scale-II (GBO) to RRBs on the basis of requisitioned post-wise and category-wise vacancies. In the notice dtd. 3/2/2021, the vacancies belonging to Officer Scale-II (GBO) in BRKBG were shown as 'nil' thereby depriving the appellants of appointment in BRKGB. On enquiry, the appellants came to know that BRKGB under the directions of sponsor bank i.e. Bank of Baroda had informed IBPS to withdraw all post-wise and category-wise vacancies requisitioned under CRP-RRBs-IX vide letter dtd. 28/12/2020. However, BRKGB by a subsequent communication dtd. 5/2/2021 asked IBPS to allot selected candidates stating inter alia that the sponsor bank had allowed it to continue with the recruitment for financial year 2020-21 against the following posts:

(3.) The recruiting agency i.e. IBPS declined the request dtd. 5/2/2021 stating that once the provisional allotment is complete, the same is final as no change or re-allotment can be made. Consequently, no candidate was provisionally allotted to BRKGB.