S. B. SINHA, C. J.

( 1 ) WHETHER compassionate appointments on the ground of medical invalidation satisfy the requirement of Article 16 of the Constitution of india is the question involved in these writ petitions.

( 2 ) BEFORE adverting to the said question, we may refer to certain Government Orders issued in this regard.

( 3 ) THE Government of Andhra Pradesh vide G. O. Ms. No. 504, General Administration (Services-A) Department, dated July 30, 1980 has extended the scheme of compassionate appointment introduced in G. O. Ms. No. 687, dated October 3, 1977, to the spouse / daughter/ son of a Government servant retired on medical invalidation under Article 441 of andhra Pradesh Pension Code (Vol. 1) subject to the conditions mentioned therein.

( 4 ) BY G. O. Ms. No. 309 General administration (Services-A) Department dated july 4, 1985, the Government had confined the benefit of compassionate appointment to son/daughter/spouse of government employee, who retires from service on medical grounds five years before attaining the age of super-annuation, irrespective of the age of super-annuation prescribed for the posts and services.

( 5 ) THE Government vide G. O. Ms. No. 214 dated June

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