JUDGMENT :

INDU MALHOTRA, J.

Leave granted.

1. The present Civil Appeals arise out of Special Leave Petition (Civil) Nos. 11320-11322 of 2015 wherein the impugned Judgment and Order dated 10.11.2014 passed by the Patna High Court in Letters Patent Appeal Nos. 491 of 2013, 257 of 2013 and 509 of 2013 has been challenged.

2. The factual matrix in the present Civil Appeals is as under:

2.1. The Respondent No. 1 – State of Bihar published an advertisement on 24.07.1985 inviting applications for filling up 40 posts of Assistant Conservator of Forests (“ACF”) through direct recruitment under the Bihar Forest Service Rules, 1953.

On the basis of the examination conducted in December 1985 and viva voce, the Bihar Public Service Commission (“the Commission”) prepared a list of successful candidates.

On the recommendations of the Commission, the posts of ACFs advertised were filled up by the State vide Notification dated 14.12.1987. On filling up of the advertised posts, the Merit List got exhausted.

The Appellants, in the present case, had participated in the selection, but were unsuccessful in getting appointed.

2.2. The Appellants and some other candidates who were unsuccessful in obtaining appoin