JUDGMENT

Kirpal, J.-The question which arises for consideration in this appeal is whether the respondent was entitled to ask for an alteration of his date of birth as entered in his service record, which entry had been made at the time when he had joined service.

2. The respondent had taken the All India Joint Service Competitive examination in the year 1967. On the basis of the said examination he was selected as a direct recruit to the Indian Police Service (IPS) of 1968 batch. In his service book the date of birth which was entered was 17th June, 1939. This entry was made on the basis of his date of birth as recorded in the senior school leaving certificate and also in his application for appearing for civil services examination of the year 1967 in which he was selected.

3. Nearly fourteen years after the respondent had joined service he submitted a representation dated 4th September, 1982 to the Andhra Pradesh State Government, the cadre to which he has been assigned, for changing his date of birth to 15th June, 1941. In the said application it was, inter alia, stated that after the demise of his mother, while going through various papers in his house, he found from his horoscop