JUDGMENT

FAZAL ALI, J. :—These two appeals (one by the State of Andhra Pradesh and the other by the Union of India) by certificate are directed against a Division Bench Judgment of the Andhra Pradesh High Court dated 17-11-1977 confirming the decision of a single Judge by which an order passed by the Central Government compulsorily retiring M.E. Reddy respondent No. 1 (hereinafter referred to as Reddy) from service in public interest was quashed in a writ petition filed before the High Court.

2. The facts of the case lie within a very narrow compass particularly in view of the fact that we have decided not to go into the question of mala fide alleged against respondent No. 3, Mr. K. Brahmanand Reddy before the High Court because Reddy in a previous writ filed in the High Court against the order of suspension had expressly withdrawn all the allegations against Mr. K. Brahmanand Reddy, respondent No. 3 in the High Court. We shall however, touch the fringes of this question so far as it directly affects the order impugned passed by the Government of India.

3. Reddy started his career in the Police Service as Deputy Superintendent of Police in the year 1948. In the year 1958 Reddy was ap