JUDGMENT :

A.Muhamed Mustaque, J.

In this batch of original petitions, we have to decide on a question that frequently arises before this court as to the legality of the executive orders of the Government declaring a qualification as an equivalent qualification specified for a post after the last date of receipt of application under the notification.

2. These original petitions are filed by candidates who are included in the rank list for the post of Junior Health Inspector Grade-II in Palakkad District. They applied pursuant to a notification dated 26/12/2014 issued by the Kerala Public Service Commission (KPSC). They want to exclude candidates who have applied for the post without qualifications mentioned specifically in the notification. We are not referring to the facts in detail as we are only now deciding a few questions of law in this matter. The precise challenge in this case is regarding the inclusion of the candidates in select list pursuant to the government orders much long after a cut-off date for receipt of last date of application and also after the expiry of rank list declaring equivalency of qualification possessed by such candidates who have been now advised for appo