A candidate's legitimate expectation for appointment should be honored based on the rules in effect during the recruitment process, despite later amendments altering eligibility criteria.

JUDGMENT

V. Kameswar Rao, J. - This petition has been filed by the petitioner with the following prayers:

"a ) An appropriate writ, order or direction quashing the impugned letter dated 30.08.2018 issued by the respondent Authority declaring the petitioner ineligible for recruitment under the new Recruitment Rules, 2010 of Constable (Tradesmen) (Group 'C' Post);

b) Directions to the respondents for issuance of the joining letter to the petitioner on the post of Follower Group 'D' post (Washerman) to which he was already selected in the recruitment process of October, 2008 and which now stands merged with Group 'C' posts; and/or

c) Pass any other order/s, direction/s which this Hon'ble Court may deem fit and proper in the facts and circumstances of the present case to meet the ends of justice."

2. At the outset, it may be stated here that this petition was dismissed by this Court vide order dated April 27, 2022, wherein this Court had inter alia stated as under:

"3. Vide the present writ petition, the petitioner is seeking quashing of the impugned letter dated 30.08.2018 issued by the respondent authority declaring the petitioner ineligible for recruitment under the new Recruitment Rules, 2010 of Constable (Tradesmen) (Group Cl' Post); directions to the respondents for issuance of the joining letter to the petitioner on the post of Follower Group 'D' post (Washermen) to which he was already selected in the recruitment process of October, 2008 which now stands merged with Group 'C' posts.

4. It is not in dispute that the petitioner was selected to the post of enrolled Follower (Group 'D' posts) (Washerman) in the recruitment process of October, 2008. Thereafter, vide order dated 29.10.2009 issued by Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India declared as under:

"6th Pay Commission in its report vide recommendation in para 7.19.45 recommended that all the posts in CPMFs should be combatised like the position existing in the Defence Forces. The Commission, accordingly, recommended abolition of the cadre of Followers. The Commission further recommended that any further recruitment in the grade of Followers should cease immediately. The existing Followers should initially be placed in the -1S pay band (separately being recommended by the Commission for all Group D categories till the time they are re-deployed in the Group C posts). Proper training should be given to make them combatised and on successful completion of such training, they should be absorbed in the grade of combatant Constables against regular vacancies. The Commission finally recommended that all non essential jobs that can be done by outsiders without any operational problems but are presently being done by Followers, should henceforth be contracted out or outsourced. The above recommendation was accepted by the Government.

2. Keeping in view the operation problems in outsourcing the jobs presently being done by the Followers, the proposal for continuation of the Cadre of Followers in CPMFs has been reconsidered by the Government and the following decisions have now been taken in the matter:-

i) All posts of Followers/other Gr. D posts in CPMFs may be converted into Group C posts and be placed in