Atinderpal Singh & ORS v. State Of Punjab & ORS

IN THE HIGH COURT OF PUNJAB AND HARYANA AT

CHANDIGARH CWP No. 20111 of 2015 Date of decision: 21.09.2015 Atinderpal Singh and others ....Petitioner(s)

Versus

State of Punjab and others

...Respondent(s)

CORAM: HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE G.S.SANDHAWALIA

Present:

Mr. Ashish Pannu, Advocate, for the petitioners.

G.S.SANDHAWALIA, J. (Oral) The petitioners seek quashing of advertisement dated 18.08.2015 (Annexure P-3) whereby, applications for filling up 1227 posts of Revenue Patwaris has been issued and seek interim prayer to be considered for the said posts on the basis of their 10+2 qualifications on the ground that the amendment of The Punjab Revenue Patwaris, Class-III, Service Rules, 1966 had been done and vacant posts prior to the amendment of the Rules were sought to be filled.

Reliance has been placed upon similar orders passed by this Court in CWP No. 19351 of 2015 (Annexure P-4) whereby, similar indulgence was granted to similarly situated candidates to apply manually by 18.09.2015, which was the last date for submitting the applications alongwith the fee challan generated system.

Admittedly, the last date for submitting the applications was 18.09.2015. The petitioner approached this Court only on 18.09.2015 itself knowing very well that the matter was not likely to be listed on the same date. The petition has come up today after the last date is over. SHIVANI GUPTA 2015.09.22 14:51 I attest to the accuracy and integrity of this document Chandigarh

In such circumstances, to grant indulgence and permit the petitioners to provisionally appear would have serious legal implications and would amount to opening of the flood gates to other candidates who would approach this Court for the same relief and on the principle of parity alleging that they were eligible to apply against the vacancies which were there prior to the amendment of the Rule on the strength of +2 qualifications. It is settled principle that the cut off date has to be strictly adhered to and cannot be tinkered with impunity. In such circumstances, once the last date is over, it would not be permissible for this Court to extend the last date and permit the petitioners to apply for the said post. It is settled principle that law protects the ones who are vigilant and not to the ones who sleep over their rights. In such circumstances, indulgence cannot be made and the present writ petition is dismissed accordingly. 21.09.2015 (G.S. SANDHAWALIA) shivani JUDGE SHIVANI GUPTA 2015.09.22 14:51 I attest to the accuracy and integrity of this document Chandigarh