C.V. Nagarjuna Reddy, J.

These cases have a considerable litigious background which needs to be explained in brief. For convenience, the petitioners in W.P. Nos. 26877, 26975 and 27219 of 2017 are referred to as the petitioners and the State and its functionaries are referred to as the respondents.

2. The petitioners are working as Police Constables. In pursuance of the Notification dt.30.12.2008 issued by the respondents inviting applications from eligible candidates inter alia for filling up the posts of Stipendiary Cadet Trainee (SCT) Sub-Inspectors of Police (Civil)(Men), Reserve Sub-Inspectors of Police (AR)(Men) and Reserve Sub-Inspectors of Police (APSP)(Men), the petitioners and some others made their applications. The extant rules provided for social reservations and also special reservations in favour of categories of Police Executive (PE), Police Ministerial (PM), Meritorious Sports Person (MSP), Children of Police Personnel (CPP), Children of Police Personnel who died or have been incapacitated on medical invalidation (CDI) and National Cadet Corps (NCC). Assailing the selection process, six unsuccessful candidates have filed six separate O.As., i.e., O.A. No. 8