REPORTABLE

IN THE SUPREME COURT OF INDIA

CIVIL APPELLATE JURISDICTION

CIVIL APPEAL NOS. 6198-6199 OF 2008

(Arising out of SLP (C) Nos. 24777 – 24778 of 2005)

Nirmal Singh Kahlon

…. Appellant

Versus

State of Punjab and others

…. Respondents

WITH

CIVIL APPEAL NOS. 6200-6201 OF 2008

(Arising out of SLP (C) Nos. 25226 – 25227 of 2005)

J.P. Singla and others

…. Appellant

Versus

State of Punjab and others

…. Respondents

J U D G M E N T

S.B. SINHA, J.

Leave granted.

1.

These two appeals involving similar questions of law and fact were

taken up for hearing together and are being disposed of by this common

judgment.

1

2.

Nirmal Singh Kahlon, Appellant in appeals arising out of SLP (C)

Nos. 24777-24778 of 2005 was the Rural Development and Panchayats

Minister in the Government of Punjab while the three appellants in appeals

arising out of SLP (C)Nos. 25226-25227 of 2005 were working as Deputy

Directors in the Department of Rural Development and Panchayats,

Government of Punjab at the relevant time.

3.

The State of Punjab had enacted the Punjab Panchayati Raj Act, 1994.

4.

An advertisement for recruitment of 190 Panchayat Secretaries was

issued in the year 1992 for which