AI Structured Summary
Not yet generated for this judgment
Judgment
R.C. Lahoti and; Shivaraj V. Patil, JJ.-In this petition filed on 22-9-1992, the principal relief sought for was to restrain the respondents from finalising selections held on 8-2-1992 pursuant to the public notice dated 3-10-1990 for recruitments to the post of members of CEGAT. According to the petitioners, Rule 21 of the Customs, Excise and Gold (Control) Appellate Tribunal Members (Recruitment and Conditions of Service) Rules, 1987 carves out a saving in favour of reservations, relaxation of age limit and other concessions required to be provided for the Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, ex-servicemen and other special categories of persons in accordance with the orders issued by the Central Government from time to time in this regard and hence any recruitment without reservation for SC/ST would be invalid. Certain ancillary prayers were also made in the petition.
It is not disputed that the recruitments pursuant to the public notice dated 3-10-1990 were over long back and therefore the principal relief prayed for in the petition has become infructuous with the lapse of time. A period of eight years has elapsed since the date of filing of the petition. In the event of any recruitment being initiated in violation of the reservation policy as canvassed by the petitioners, the same shall be available to be challenged by the petitioners by filing an appropriate petition. Any adjudication of the issue in the present petition would be academic only. We make it clear that we are not expressing any opinion on the merits of the pleas put forth in the pleadings of either side. The petition is dismissed as having been rendered infructuous.