JUDGMENT

D.P. Mohapatra, J.-Leave granted in both the special leave petitions.

2. Feeling aggrieved by the judgments rendered by a Division Bench of the High Court of Punjab & Haryana on 10.1 2000 and 25.4.2000 dismissing the writ petitions filed by them, the appellants have filed these appeals assailing the said judgments.

3. The controversy raised in the case relates to the cut-off date fixed for fulfilling the prescribed qualification relating to age by a candidate for the post of Panchayat Secretary in the State of Punjab. The appellants are male and female candidates, who were prevented from applying for the post since they did not satisfy the qualification pertaining to age by the cut-off date fixed in the advertisements.

4. The relevant facts of the case leading to the present proceeding may be stated thus: The Government of Punjab issued an advertisement on 18th September, 1997 in the local newspapers inviting applications from male candidates for 700 posts of Panchayat Secretaries. In the said advertisement the cut-off date for satisfying the eligibility qualification pertaining to age was stated as 1st September, 1997. Before the selection could be made the State Government