JUDGMENT :

A.K. Jayasankaran Nambiar, J.

As these O.P.(KAT)s and Writ Appeal involve a common issue, they are taken up together for consideration and disposed by this common judgment.

2. The petitioners/appellants in all these petitions were candidates included in various rank lists published by the Kerala Public Service Commission [hereinafter referred to as the “PSC”] in connection with selection to various posts. The validity of the rank lists was to expire on various dates between 5.2.2021 and 3.8.2021. Taking note of the COVID pandemic situation that prevailed in the State, that effectively disabled the PSC from holding examination for selection of candidates to various posts, the PSC, by a notification dated 5.2.2021, extended the validity period of the various rank lists that were to expire between 5.2.2021 and 3.8.2021, up till 4.8.2021.

The extension of the validity period of the rank lists as aforesaid was apparently done in exercise of the power of the PSC under the 5th proviso to Rule 13 of the Public Service Commission Rules of Procedure [hereinafter referred to as the “Procedural Rules”]. The petitioners herein approached the Kerala Administrative Tribunal [KAT] through t