Thottathil B. Radhakrishnan, J.

Heard the learned counsel for the appellants in both the appeals and the learned counsel for the contesting respondents who are the petitioners in the writ petition from which these appeals arise.

2. W.A.No.1874 of 2012 is filed by two candidates included in the rank list which was challenged in the writ petition that led to the impugned judgment. They plead that they are adversely affected by the judgment impugned, though they were not parties to the writ petition. They have been granted leave to appeal against the judgment in the writ petition.

3. W.A.No.2193 of 2012 is by the Kerala Public Service Commission challenging the judgment in so far as the principles attempted to be settled through the impugned judgment are pleaded as erroneous.

4. The Public Service Commission notified vacancies for selection to the category of Operator in the Kerala Water Authority, hereinafter referred to as 'KWA'. The service in the KWA is governed by the provisions of the Kerala Public Health Engineering Service Rules in so far as State service categories are concerned and Kerala Public Health Engineering Subordinate Service Rules which relate to the subordina