IN THE PUNJAB AND HARYANA HIGH COURT AT CHANDIGARH Date of Decision: 17.03.2025 AMANDEEP SINGH AND ANOTHER ... Petitioner VERSUS STATE OF PUNJAB AND OTHERS ... Respondents CORAM: HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE VINOD S. BHARDWAJ.

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Present: Mr. H.C. Arora, Advocate and Ms. Sunaina, Advocate for the petitioners.

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VINOD S. BHARDWAJ, J. (ORAL)

The present petition has been filed for directing the respondents to issue fresh appointment letters to the petitioners alongwith orders for station of posting in view of the judgment dated 23.09.2024 pronounced by the Division Bench of this Court and subsequent notification of revised select list dated 18.02.2025 on the grounds that the names of the petitioners are in the select list for the SC (M&B) category notified on 18.02.2025.

Learned arguing counsel for the petitioners contends that respondents had issued an advertisement dated 12.10.2021 inviting applications for filling up 54 posts of Assistant Professor (College Cadre) in the subject of Physical Education. 6 of the said posts were reserved for Scheduled Caste. The petitioner belonging to Scheduled Caste Category (M&B) submitted their applications through online system and participated in the selection process. The appointment letters as well as posting orders dated 02.12.2021 were also issued to the petitioners. The petitioners were, however, pressurized by the superior officers to appear in the office of DPI (Colleges) but the petitioners were thereafter informed that on account of an order passed by this Court, the respondents have been restrained from continuing with the recruitment process and that for the said reasons, the petitioners did not get themselves formally relieved from the concerned Government Schools, where they were posted; and thus could not join the allotted stations of posting, despite being selected. Initially, vide order dated 08.08.2022, the learned Single Judge quashed the entire recruitment process to the post of Assistant Processor (College Cadre) of various subjects. Various other affected candidates preferred LPAs before the Division Bench, which were all heard together and were decided vide judgment dated 23.09.2024. The order passed by the learned Single Judge was set aside by the Hon’ble Division Bench and the respondents were directed to forthwith allow joining of the candidates/petitioners on completion of the formalities. He contends that notwithstanding the judgment passed by the Division Bench, the necessary action has not been taken till date. The petitioners have since then been pursuing with them by way of submitting numerous representations.

When the matter came up for hearing before this Court on

01.03.2025, the State Counsel was directed to seek instructions after specifically noticing the aforesaid facts and also the contention of learned counsel for the petitioners that the candidates who were lower in merit than the petitioners have already been allotted the stations of posting.

On resumed hearing today, State Counsel on instructions from Ms.

Saru Sharma, Legal Officer, DPI Colleges submits that the Department has already forwarded the case of the petitioners for appointment and that the requisite decision shall be taken and posting orders shall be issued within a period of two months from today.

Learned counsel for the petitioners also agrees with the aforesaid arrangement.

In view of the aforesaid statement of learned State Counsel on instructions from Ms. Saru Sharma, Legal Officer, DPI Colleges, the present petition has become infructuous at this stage.

Disposed of accordingly.

The respondent-Authorities shall, however, remain bound by the statement made today by the learned State Counsel and shall complete the entire selection process including issuance of appointment letters and posting orders to the petitioners within a period of two months from today.

(VINOD S. BHARDWAJ)

MARCH 17, 2025. JUDGE Rajender