$~37 * IN THE HIGH COURT OF DELHI AT NEW DELHI + W.P.(C) 16518/2023 & CM APPL. 66610/2023 SOCIETY FOR HOLISTIC APPROACH AND DEVELOPMENT ..... Petitioner Through: Dr. Anup Kumar Mishra, Advocate.

versus STATE NCT OF DELHI & ORS. ..... Respondents Through: Mrs. Avnish Ahlawat, SC, GNCTD with Mr. N.K. Singh, Ms. Laavanya Kaushik, Ms. Aliza Alam and Mr.

Mohnish Sehrawat, Advocates.

% Date of Decision: 21^st December, 2023 CORAM:

HON'BLE THE ACTING CHIEF JUSTICE HON'BLE MS. JUSTICE MINI PUSHKARNA

J U D G M E N T

1. The present Public Interest Litigation (“PIL”) has been filed challenging the process of recruitment of Probation Officers vide Vacancy Notice/Advertisement No. 04/23 dated 20^th November, 2023 on the ground that the same is not in consonance with the Recruitment Rules laid down as per the Gazette No. 323 dated 9^th November, 2021 and the Delhi Probation of Offenders Rules (Amended) 2019.

2. It is submitted that as per Gazette No. 323 dated 9^th November, 2021, the Delhi Probation of Offenders Rules (Amended) 2019 were amended whereby the age limit for the post of Probation Officer was stipulated as “not less than 25 years and not more than 40 years of age” at the time of first Signatur