( 1 ) THESE appeals by special leave arise from the judgment dated 18/01/1995 of the Full Bench of the Kerala High Court in writ appeals Nos. 416 and 187 of 1992. The Division Bench, doubting the correctness of the judgment in Public Service Commission v. Dr. Kanjamma Alex, (1981) Ker LT 24 : (1981 Lab IC 1511), (subject matter of CA No. 1197/81) had referred the question to the Full Bench. Facts lie in a short compass and are stated as under:

( 2 ) TWO posts of Lecturers in Law Department of Cochin University were notified for recruitment, one of which was reserved for Latin Catholics (Backward Class-Fishermen ). The appellant, a Syrian Catholic (a forward class), having married a Latin Catholic, had applied for selection as a reserved candidate. The University selected her on that basis and accordingly appointed against the reserved post. Her appointment was questioned by one Rani George by filing a writ petition, viz. , O. P. No. 9450/91 praying for a direction to the University to appoint her in place of the appellant to the said post. The learned single Judge allowed the writ petition of Rani George and held that the appointment should be made strictly in accordance with Rules