JUDGMENT

Mrs. Sujata V. Manohar, J.-Leave grated.

2. In all these appeals the common question which arises for consideration is whether a Rule-making Authority can fix a cut off date with reference to the calendar year for determining the maximum age of a candidate who is to be considered for direct recruitment to a service under the State. The petitions and appeals before us deal with different Rules of service in the State of Rajasthan pertaining to various services under the State. Some of the Rules which are under challenge before us are the Rajasthan Medical Services (Collegiate Branch) Rules, 1962. Rajasthan Panchayat Samiti and Zila Parisad Service Rules, 1959, Rajasthan Class V Services (Recruitment and Other Service Conditions) Rules, 1963, and Rajasthan Educational Subordinate Service Rules, 1971. All these Rules provide that the cut off date for deciding the maximum age prescribed for a candidate for appointment will be the 1st day of January following the date of application. The affected candidates who are before us contend that such a cut off date which is uniformly fixed under all the Service Rules of the State of Rajasthan, is arbitrary or unreasonable and must be st