STATE OF TELANGANA Vs. T. RAJESH

JUDGEMENT

(1.) The appellants have challenged the legality of the order dated 27.02.2019, passed by a learned Single Judge in W.P.No.19144 of 2018, whereby the learned Single Judge has directed them to consider the cases of the respondent-petitioners, who are eligible on the basis of the notification dated 20.01.2018, for promotion to the post of Assistant Analytical Officer, and to pass appropriate orders within a period of eight weeks.

(2.) Briefly, the facts of the case are that the respondent- petitioners were working as Police Constables in different places. On 20.01.2018, the appellants issued a notification for filling up of the vacancies for the post of Assistant Analytical Officer (I.D. Assistants) in the Intelligence Department. According to the said notification, no person shall be eligible, who has completed 32 years of age as on 30.06.2017. Since the respondent-petitioners were hopeful that they will be selected for the said post, they applied for the same. However, by corrigendum dated 13.02.2018, the appellants changed the upper age limit from the cut off date of 30.06.2017 to 01.07.2018. Since the respondent-petitioners were aggrieved by the sudden change in the cut-off date, they filed the writ petition before the learned Single Judge. As mentioned hereinabove, the learned Single Judge has allowed the writ petition in the terms aforementioned. Hence, this appeal before this Court.

(3.) Mr. S. Sharat Kumar, the learned Special Government Pleader, submits that in the original Rules known as the Andhra Pradesh Police (Intelligence) Subordinate Service Rules ("the Rules" for short), appointment for the post of Intelligence Branch Assistant (subsequently renamed as "Assistant Analytical Officer") had two sources for appointment, namely either by transfer, or by direct recruitment. According to Rule 6 of the Rules, the upper age limit for direct recruitment was shown as twenty eight years as on the 1st of July of the year in which notification for selection is made. However, subsequently, an amendment was introduced by G. O. Ms. No. 643, dated 10.05.2007, whereby the categories were increased, namely to include even appointment by transfer. But the upper age limit for both the categories of appointment by transfer, and by direct recruitment was made as twenty eight years as on the 1st of July of the year in which the notification is made.