S.J. Mukhopadhaya, J.

1. In both the cases, as petitioner is common and common question of law involved, they were heard together and are being disposed of by this common order.

2. In WP (C) No. 942 of 2003, the petitioner has challenged the cut off date of 1st August, 2002 as fixed to count the minimum age of eligibility of 22 years for appointment to the post of Assistant Engineer in Public Health Engineering Department (PHED for short) and notified vide Advertisement No. 12/02-03 with further prayer to direct the respondents to decrease the minimum age limit, as mentioned in Clause-IV of the advertisement aforesaid and to accept the application of the petitioner for consideration of his case for appointment against the post of Assistant Engineer along with others.

In other case, WP (C) No. 946 of 2003, similar prayer has been made by the petitioner against the minimum age of 22 years as on 1st August, 2002 prescribed for appointment in different State Civil Services, vide Advertisement No. 11/02-03 published by Jharkhand Public Service Commission (JPSC for short).

3. The case of the petitioner is that, he passed the matriculation examination in 1995 with 1st Division, completed