Judgment

HEGDE, J.

( 1 ) , J. : - The principal question that arises for decision in this appeal by certificate is as to the vires of Rule 5 of the Andhra Pradesh Registration Subordinate Service Special Rules, to be hereinafter referred as "the rules". The High Court has struck down this rule on the ground that it is violative of Article 14 of the Constitution. As a result of that conclusion, it has also quashed the recruitrnent of some of the respondents made in March, 1965 for being posted as Sub-Registrars Grade II.

( 2 ) THE petitioners as well as respondent No. 3 onwards in the Writ Petition were serving as clerks either in the upper division or in the lower division in the Registration and Stamps Department including the office of the Registrar General of Births, Deaths and Marriages and the Office of the Registrar of the Firms. Some of the respondents had been recruited by the Inspector General of Registration and Stamps, Andhra Pradesh for being appointed as Sub-Registrars. The petitioners challenged the validity of their recruitment on various grounds, by means of a Writ Petition under Article 226 of the Constitution. But that petition was summarily dismissed by a single Ju