ORDER

1. This is an appeal by the State Government of Andhra Pradesh by special leave. Challenge is to the order of the State Administrative Tribunal directing the benefit of the Government Order of November 18, 1981 to be extended to selection of the Sub-Inspectors of Police which is done through the State Level Recruitment Board. The government order which has been extracted in the order of the Tribunal reads thus:

"Notwithstanding anything in/the Andhra Pradesh State and Subordinate Service Rules or the Special Rules, candidates seeking appointment to all the non-gazetted posts of all services, and seeking eligibility in general educational test who have obtained the basic educational qualifications prescribed for direct recruitment eligibility for promotion in the special rules governing such posts, through Telugu medium, shall be given weightage in the matter of selection to such posts by awarding them 5 per cent of the total aggregate maximum marks of the relevant competitive examination held by the Andhra Pradesh Public Service Commission for recruitment acquiring eligibility to such posts."

"Having regard to the avowed policy of the government to introduce Telugu progressively