JUDGMENT :

The petitioner, who was included in the rank list for appointment to the post of District Judge in the Kerala Higher Judicial Service, is challenging the appointment of the 3rd respondent as District and Sessions Judge.

2. The High Court of Kerala issued Ext.P1 notification dated 21.11.2017 inviting applications for appointment as District and Sessions Judges in the Kerala Higher Judicial Service by direct recruitment from the Bar. 4 regular vacancies (probable), 2 NCA vacancies of Scheduled Castes and one NCA vacancy each of Hindu Nadar, Muslims, Latin Catholics/Anglo Indians, Viswakarmas and Ezhavas, Thiyyas and Billavas communities, were notified. After the written examination and interview, the High Court published Ext.P4 list of candidates who qualified in the examination 2017, on 07.06.2019. In the list of candidates for NCA vacancy of Ezhavas, Thiyyas and Billavas, the 3rd respondent was ranked at sl.no.2 and the petitioner at rank no.4. In the list of candidates for regular vacancies the 3rd respondent was included at serial no.3 and the petitioner at serial no.13. On 08.06.2019 the High Court as per Ext.P6 notice informed that candidates who were Judicial Officers