ORDER

The State of Andhra Pradesh is before us in these appeals questioning the validity and correctness of the judgment and order passed by the Division Bench of the High Court. The appellant-State Government issued a notification containing guidelines and procedure for recruitment to the post of 1715 Excise Constables, pursuant to which the Commissioner of Excise notified the vacancies to the Employment Exchange initiating the process of recruitment. Dates for interview were scheduled between 19.10.1994 and 23.10.1994 and dates were fixed for verification of original certificates between 25.10.1994 and 29.10.1994. Thereafter, on account of announcement of General Elections to the Legislative Assembly, recruitment process was stopped as Election Notification had been issued on 1.11.1994. By the Memo dated 21.12.1994, in the light of the decision of introducing total prohibition in the State of Andhra Pradesh, the process for recruitment of 1715 Excise Constables was cancelled. The results of the interview were not declared and no selection list was published. The respondents filed Writ Petition in the High Court in the year 1998 seeking mandamus directing the appellants to appoint