ORDER :

Heard the learned counsel for the petitioners and the learned counsel for the respondents.

2. Though the writ petition is listed for ‘orders’, as it was understood that the matter would be taken up for disposal, it is taken up for disposal with the consent of both the counsels.

3. The learned High Court Government Pleader would place reliance on the ruling of a Co-ordinate Bench rendered in W.P. No.39315/2018 and other batch of writ petitions whereby, a Co-ordinate Bench after examining the issue of refixation of seniority, was pleased to reject the writ petitions and was further pleased to affirm the orders of the tribunal which in turn, affirms the order of the DG & IG of Police refixing the seniority. The respondents herein are also similarly situated as the petitioners therein and there is no dispute with regard to the same.

4. The brief facts are that, the KPSC invited applications for the posts of Commercial Tax Inspectors and that in the interregnum, the State had introduced Clause (mm) to Rule 2(1) and Rule 3-B of the Karnataka Civil Services (General Recruitment) Rules, 1977 (Herein after referred to as ‘KCS (GR) Rules’). The term ‘Rural Candidate’ came to be defined a