JUDGMENT :

S.V. MARUTHI, J.:

The petitioner is seeking a Writ of Mandamus declaring the action of the 1st respondent in not appointing him to the post of District and Sessions Judge Gr.II in spite of the recommendations by the High Court-2nd respondent as violative of Articles 14 and 16 of the Constitution of India besides violative of principles of natural justice.

2. The petitioner had obtained B.L. Degree from Sri Venkateswara University in the year 1987. He got himself enrolled as an Advocate on the rolls of the A.P. State Bar Council on 24-4-1987. He started his practice in Kavali by joining as a junior Advocate in the office of one Sri M. Eshwara Prasad Who is a senior Advocate in the Bar of Kavali. The petitioner is also a member of the Kavali Bar Association. The petitioner has been assisting his senior in civil and criminal cases in the Courts of Subordinate Judge and District Munsiff Courts at Kavali besides appearing before Revenue Courts and Consumer Forums under different statutes. Thus, the petitioner was handling civil and criminal cases independently. While practising, he also obtained degree in Master of Law in 1991 after obtaining permission from the Bar Council of