Hon’ble Sudhir Agarwal, J.—Heard Sri Ranjeet Saxena and Sri V.S. Gupta holding brief on behalf of Sri Ashok Khare, appearing for the petitioners and the learned Standing Counsel for the respondents.

2. All these writ petitions involve similar factual and legal issues and, therefore, as requested by learned Counsel for the parties have been heard together and are being decided by this common judgment.

3. The writ petitions arise out of the order dated 8th January, 2005 passed by the Consolidation Commissioner, U.P., Lucknow, cancelling selection held for the posts of Junior Clerk, Sarniyak and Stenographer in the office of Settlement Officer (Consolidation) (hereinafter referred to as the S.O.C.), Siddharth Nagar pursuant to the advertisement dated 18th August, 2004.

4. The facts as stated in the writ petitions are that the S.O.C. Siddharth Nagar got an advertisement published on 18th August, 2004 inviting applications for recruitment to the following posts :

Name of Name of Total posts Scheduled Other General

department Post and Caste backward category

pay scale caste

Consolidation Junior Clerk 3050-4590 06 03 01 02

Saraniyak 3050-4590 01 01 — —