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Judgment
KULDEEP TIWARI, J. (ORAL)
On the previous date of hearing, i.e. 09.09.2026, this Court passed the following order:-
“Learned counsel appearing on behalf of respondent No.4, has made a request for an adjournment, enabling him to file response to the instant writ petition(s).
It is informed by learned counsel for the respondents No.1 to 3/State, that the list of recommended candidates (Annexure P-11), which is put to challenge before this Court, has already been quashed by the Hon’ble Supreme Court in Special Leave Petition (Civil) No.23141 of 2024, titled as ‘Mandeep Singh & Ors. Vs. State of Punjab and Ors.’
Learned counsel for the petitioner, has made a request for an adjournment, to have apposite instructions, in this regard. Asked for request is accepted. List this matter on 18.09.2026. To be shown in the urgent list. Photocopy of this order be placed on the connected case file.”
Today, learned counsel appearing for the petitioners submit that the State of Punjab had, in fact, filed Miscellaneous Application Nos.1452 and 1453 of 2025 in Civil Appeal Nos.9471 to 9473 of 2025, titled “Mandeep Singh and Others vs. State of Punjab and Others”, which applications were disposed of by the Hon’ble Supreme Court vide order dated 18.08.2025, with the following directions:-
“6.Having given anxious consideration to the prayers made, we issue the following directions/orders:
i)The persons who were recruited as per the advertisement dated 19.10.2021, shall be continued when the new recruitment process is ongoing, along with those persons who are temporarily appointed, which is only in the interest of the students. This shall not result in any claim of equity and the continuance shall only be till the fresh recruits are appointed,
ii) We record the undertaking of the State of Punjab that every endeavour would be made to conclude the recruitment process within a period of six months,
iii) It is only fair that the persons who have applied as per the advertisement dated 19.10.2021 be granted age relaxation to appear in the new selection, dehors their having been selected or not, in the earlier recruitment.
iv) As far as the prayer for joining in the earlier appointment, we cannot but observe that, as recorded in the judgment, on the advertisement of the earlier recruitment being published on 19.10.2021, in the first week of November, a writ petition was moved against the said process initiated, in which on 26.11.2021, before the results were published, there was an order, making the selections subject to the result of the writ petition. Be that as it may, we are of the opinion that the said issue cannot be agitated before us in the above M.A.s and we leave it to be considered in appropriate proceedings. The consequential prayer for the period spent in service as Assistant Professors/Librarians, after resignation from an earlier employment, not to be considered as break in service, on the very same reasoning, is left open.
v)The selections having been declared illegal, there is no question of the period of continuance based on such selection being counted for seniority or as period of probation, if such candidates are selected afresh. The prayer for consideration of the service as per the earlier recruitment as probation period also cannot be reckoned, since it would again interfere with the seniority and the same is rejected.”
Learned counsel for the petitioners further submit that, despite the directions (supra), the State of Punjab has, thus far, not undertaken any exercise towards completion of the recruitment process within the stipulated period of six months. In view of the aforesaid supervening development, learned counsel seek permission to withdraw the instant writ petitions, with liberty to the petitioners to avail such appropriate statutory remedy, as may be available to them, for redressal of their grievance arising therefrom.
Consequently, the instant writ petitions are dismissed as withdrawn, with liberty (supra).
A photocopy of this order be placed on the file of connected case.