ORDER :

1. This Special Appeal by the Uttar Pradesh Public Service Commission is directed against a judgment and order dated August 2, 2022, allowing Writ -A No. 18091 of 2021.

2. The writ-petitioners, who are respondent nos. 1 to 4 to this Appeal, are all Ex-Servicemen, who have retired or been discharged from different positions in the Armed Forces of the Union, such as the Army or the Navy.

3. The grievance of the writ-petitioners is that they are entitled to be considered under The Uttar Pradesh Public Services (Reservation for Physically Handicapped, Dependents of Freedom Fighters and Ex-Servicemen) (Amendment) Act, 2021 (for short, 2021 Act'), entitling them to a 5% reservation in the ongoing selection/ recruitment, held pursuant to Advertisement No. A-1/E-1/2021 dated February 5, 2021 to the “Combined State/ Upper Subordinate Services (PCS) Examination, 2021 and Assistant Conservator of Forest (A.C.F.)/ Range Forest Officer (R.F.O.) Services Examination -2021” (for short, 'the PCS Examination, 2021').

4. The learned Single Judge has set out in copious detail the facts of the case, including the rival stands of the writ-petitioner-respondents (for short, 'the writ petitioners'