IMPORTANT POINT
Cancellation of a selection process requires valid reasons and cannot be arbitrary; authorities must conduct inquiries into complaints before making such decisions.

JUDGMENT :

Per DHIRAJ SINGH THAKUR, C.J.

In all the aforementioned 12 writ petitions, since common questions of law and fact arise, we propose to deal with them by way of a common order. Facts in W.P.No.8648 of 2019 are being referred to, for the sake of convenience.

W.P.No.8648 of 2019 has been filed challenging the decision taken by the High Court of Andhra Pradesh in cancelling the entire selection process made to various posts including the 8 posts of typists, 11 posts of copyists and 1 post of Personal Assistant for the unit of the District Judge, Guntur. The decision is challenged primarily on the ground that the same suffered from the vice of arbitrariness as no reasons at all were given as to why the entire selection process was cancelled.

2. With a view to understand the controversy in the correct perspective, it is apt to refer to the material facts in brief:

The District Judge, Guntur, issued notifications inter alia for 8 posts of Typists vide the notification No.3, dated 22.10.2011, 11 posts of Copyists vide the notification No.4, dated 22.10.2011, and the notification No.2, dated 22.10.2011, for the post of 1 Personal Assistant for the unit of the District Judge, Guntur, inviting applications from the eligible candidates for direct recruitment as per the A. P. Judicial Ministerial Service Rules, 2003.

3. It appears that the petitioners being eligible responded to the aforementioned three notifications and were subjected to objective type test based on OMR basis as also skill test which was conducted on 23.01.2016 and 24.01.2016 respectively. The interviews were scheduled on 26.01.2016 and were accordingly conducted. The list of candidates selected was sent for approval by the learned District Judge to the High Court on administrative side in accordance with the Presidential Order vide para 4 of Annexure appended to G.O.(P) No.763, GA (SPF-A) Department, dated 15.11.1975, and instructions issued by the High Court vide R.O.C.No.665/2005-RC, dated 10.06.2006. The High Court then vide proceedings, dated 10.06.2016, ordered the re-notification of one post of Copyist earmarked for O.C. (Ex-Serviceman) against Roster Point No.37 in the next recruitment to be filled up by a local candidate only to make it in accordance with the presidential orders. After the approval by the High Court, the District Court, Guntur, published the list of provisionally selected candidates for the post of 11 Copyists vide the notice, dated 16.06.2016.

4. Similarly, as against the list of 8 Typists sent to the High Court for approval, the High Court vide letter, dated 10.06.2016, approved the selections made for 7 out of 8 posts in regard to the notification No.3, dated 22.10.2011, while directing re-notification of one post of typist to O.C. (Ex-Serviceman) in the next recruitment for filling up only by a local candidate as per the presidential orders. It appears that on receipt of the approved list, the District Court, Guntur, published the list of provisionally selected candidates for the post of 7 Typists vide the notice No.3841, dated 16.06.2016.

5. The attestation forms of the provisionally selected candidates were also sent to the respective Police authorities and the Additional Director General of Police Intelligence for submission of verification reports within the stipulated time. A letter bearing No.7553, dated 24.11.2016, was also addressed to the High Court seeking permission to enable the District Court to issue appointment orders to the selected candidates subject to the receipt of police verification reports.

6. In response to the letter, dated 24.11.2016, the Registrar (Recruitment) on the directions of the High Court vide communication dated 06.12.2016 instructed the learned District Judge to await further orders, as regards the issuance of the appointment orders to the approved and selected candidates. Finally, by virtue of the impugned communication, dated 18.04.2019, issued by the Registrar (Recruitment), the learned Principal Dist