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[Cites 26, Cited by 0]

Jharkhand High Court

Md.Ferdous Anjum vs State Of Jharkhand & Anr on 30 July, 2012

Equivalent citations: 2013 LAB. I. C. 1099, 2013 (1) AJR 775

Author: D. N.  Patel

Bench: D. N.  Patel

                               1

IN THE HIGH COURT OF JHARKHAND AT RANCHI      
                W.P.(S) No. 2011 of 2012 
Md. Ferdous Anjum                         ...... Petitioner 
                          Versus 
The State of Jharkhand & Another          ......Respondents 
CORAM:         HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE D. N.  PATEL  
 For the Petitioner         : Mr. Nagendra Tiwari, Advocate
 For the State                : J.C. to G.P.­VI
 For the J.A.C.               : Mr. Suhail Anwar, Sr. Advocate 
                                Mrs. Ruby Parween, Advocate  
                       ­­­­     
                th
 09/Dated: 30    July, 2012
                                  
1.

  Counsel for the petitioner submitted that the petitioner has applied  for   the   post   of   Post   Graduate   Teacher   in   pursuance   of   the   public  advertisement dated 23/24th  December, 2011, which is at Annexure­2 to  the memo of the present petition. It is further submitted by the counsel for  the petitioner that as per condition no. Ka (ii) of the said advertisement  those   candidates,  who  are  appearing  in  the  B.Ed.   examination   can  also  appear in the examination to be conducted by the Jharkhand Academic  Council,   Ranchi,   but,   the   outer   limit   was   that   before   the   result   of   the  written   test   was   published   such   candidate   must   have   cleared   the   B.Ed.  examination. In the facts of the present case, the result of the examination  for the post in question conducted by the Jharkhand Academic Council,  Ranchi was published on 15th  February, 2012 before this time as per the  aforesaid   condition,   the   petitioner   had   to   submit   the   B.Ed.   clearance  certificate, which the petitioner could not because the petitioner's result of  B.Ed. examination was declared on 19 th  March, 2012 and therefore, this  period merely of about 01 month and 04 days should have been condoned  by   the   respondent­authorities.   The   petitioner's   candidature   cannot   be  rejected only on this ground because the petitioner has otherwise secured  higher marks than the lastly selected candidate in the category in which  the petitioner has appeared in the examination for the post in question.

2. It   is   further   submitted   by   the   counsel   for   the   petitioner   that  declaration of the result of B.Ed. examination is beyond the control of the  present petitioner. This aspect of the matter has not been appreciated by  the   respondent­authority   and   therefore   also,   the   petitioner   may   be  declared as selected candidate for the post in question and the respondents  may be directed to appoint the petitioner as Post Graduate Teacher in 2 Higher Secondary School. 

3. Counsel for the respondents vehemently submitted that the cut­off   date prescribed by the respondent­State may not be altered by this Court  while exercising powers under Article 226 of the Constitution of India. It is  a policy decision of the respondent­State that what should be the cut­off  date   for   submission  of  the   certificates.   In  the   facts  of  the   present  case,  looking to the conditions as stated in Annexure­2 especially in clause Ka(ii)  those   candidates,  who  are  appearing  in  the  B.Ed.   examination   can  also  apply for the post in question, but, they must present the B.Ed. clearance  certificate   prior   to   the   result   published   by   the   Jharkhand   Academic  Council, Ranchi for the post in question. The result was published by the  Jharkhand Academic Council, Ranchi on 15th February, 2012 and the result  of  the  B.Ed.  examination  of  the  petitioner  was declared on 19 th  March,  2012.   Thus,   there   is   a   clear   violation   of   the   condition   as   stated   in  Annexure­2 to the memo of the present petition. 

4. Counsel for the respondents is relying upon the following decisions:

                (a)     (1975) 1 SCC 305;
                (b)     (1990)  3  SCC 368;
                (c)    (1996) 10 SCC 536;
                (d)    (1997) 6 SCC 614;
                (e)    (2004) 2 SCC 76;
                (f)    (2008) 14 SCC 702

               It is submitted on the basis of the aforesaid decisions that this   Court   may   not   change   the   cut­off   date   prescribed   for   submissions   of  certificate and therefore, the petition may not be entertained by this Court. 

5. Having heard counsel for both the sides and looking to the facts and  circumstances of the case, I see no reason to entertain this writ petition  mainly for the following facts and reasons:­

(i) The respondents floated a public advertisement dated 23/24 th  December, 2011 for the post of Post Graduate Teacher in the  Higher Secondary School, which is at Annexure­2 to the memo  of   the   present   petition   and   as   per   condition   Ka(ii)   those  candidates, who are appearing in the B.Ed. examination can  also  prefer  an  application  for  the  post in  question,  but,  the  3 outer limit has also been prescribed that before the result of  the post in question is published by the Jharkhand Academic  Council, Ranchi the candidates must present their certificates  of   B.Ed.   clearance   examination   before   the   Jharkhand  Academic Council, Ranchi.

(ii) Looking to the facts and circumstances of the case, it appears  that the respondents have published the result for the post in  question   on   15th  February,   2012.   The   petitioner   could   not  present   B.Ed.   clearance   certificate   before   the   Jharkhand  Academic   Council,   Ranchi   before   the   aforesaid   date.   The  result of the B.Ed. examination of the petitioner was declared  on 19th March, 2012 and therefore, there is a clear breach of  the condition imposed in Ka(ii) of Annexure­2 to the memo of  the present petition. 

(iii) The  question is to be  decided by  this Court is whether  this  Court   can   change   the   cut­off   date   prescribed   by   the  respondents   for   submission   of   certificate.   The   answer   is  negative   because   fixing   cut­off   date   for   submission   of   the  certificate of the educational qualification is a policy decision.  Court is not sitting in appeal before the policy decision of the  respondents nor the Court can alter the said policy decision  even for better reasons. Court cannot replace a better policy  that what is in existence. What should be the cut­off date for  submission   of   the   education   certificate   is   left   out   at   the  wisdom of the respondent­authorities. Wholesale, lump­sum,  or   general   relaxation   cannot   be   granted   by   this   Court  otherwise;

(a)  there will be an outer limit of time for submission of the  documents   of   the   educational   qualification   of   the  applicants;  

(b)  it will lead to uncertainty about the publication of the  final result because at every time some applicants will  come and submit their educational qualification result. 

How    long   the   respondents   shall   wait   for   those 4 candidates. In this eventuality, if the Court permits such  type of wholesale, lump­sum or general relaxation then  perhaps,   final   result   never   be   published   by   the  respondents for the post in question;

(c )   if   this   type   of   concession   is  granted   by   this   Court   by  giving relaxation in the  time  limit it will be  unfair to  those   candidates,   who   have   never   preferred   an  application   because   there   was   no   chance   for   them   to  submit B.Ed. certificate examination result within time  limit   given   by   the   respondents­State   Thus,   relaxation  given to the petitioner will be unfairness to those who  are honest and those who have not applied for the post  in question keeping in view the condition Ka (ii) of the  advertisement.  

(iv) It has been held by the Hon'ble Supreme Court in the case of  Union   of   India   &   Another   v.   M/s   Parameswaran   Match  Works   &   others,  as   reported   in  (1975)   1   SCC   305,  at  paragraph no.10 as under:

"10. The concessional rate of duty can be availed of only by those who satisfy the conditions which have been laid down under the notification. The respondent was not a manufacturer before September 4, 1967 as it had applied for licence only on September 5, 1967 and it could not have made a declaration before September 4, 1967 that its total clearance for the financial year 1967-68 is not estimated to exceed 75 million matches. In the matter of granting concession or exemption from tax, the Government has a wide latitude of discretion. It need not give exemption or concession to everyone in order that it may grant the same to some. As we said, the object of granting the concessional rate of duty was to protect the smaller units in the industry from the competition by the larger ones and that object would have been frustrated, if, by adopting the device of fragmentation, the larger units could become the ultimate beneficiaries of the bounty. That a classification can be founded on a particular date and yet be reasonable, has been held by this Court in several decisions (see Hatisingh Mfg. Co. Ltd. v. Union of India, Dr Mohammad Saheb Mahboob Medico v. Deputy Custodian-General, Bhikuse Yamasa Kshatriya (P) Ltd. v. Union of India and Daruka & Co. v. Union of India. The choice of a date as a basis for classification cannot always be dubbed as arbitrary even if no particular reason is forthcoming for the choice unless it is shown to be capricious or whimsical in the circumstances. When it is seen that a line or a point there must be and there is no mathematical or logical way of fixing it precisely, the decision of the legislature or its delegate must be accepted unless we can say that it is very wide off the reasonable mark See Louisville Gas Co.
5
v. Alabama Power Co. per Justice Holmes."

(Emphasis supplied) Thus   in   view   of   aforesaid   decision,  the   classification,  created   by   the   cut­off   date   with   those   Constables,   who   are  st  over­aged, because of the cut­off date i.e. 1       January, 2004,   and   those,   who   are   not   over­aged,   cannot   be   said   to   be  arbitrary classification.

(v) It has been held by the Hon'ble Supreme Court in the case of    State of   Bihar  v.  Ramjee   Prasad,  as  reported  in  (1990)   3  SCC  368,  in paragraph no.8, as under: 

"8.  In the present case as pointed out earlier the past practice   was to fix the last date for receipt of applications a month or   one and a half months after the date of actual publication of the   advertisement. Following the past practice the State Government   fixed   the   last   date  for   receipt   of   applications   as   January   31,   1988. Those who had completed the required experience of three   years by that date were, therefore, eligible to apply for the posts   in question. The respondents and some of the intervenors who   were   not   completing   the   required   experience   by   that   date,   therefore, challenged the fixation of the last date as arbitrary   and violative of Article 14 of the Constitution. It is obvious that   in   fixing   the   last   date   as   January   31,   1988   the   State   Government had only followed the past practice and if the High   Court's attention had been invited to this fact it would perhaps   have refused to interfere since its interference is based on the   erroneous belief that the past practice was to fix June 30 of the   relevant year as the last date for receipt of applications. Except   for leaning on a past practice the High Court has not assigned   any reasons for its choice of the date.  As pointed out by this   Court the choice of date cannot be dubbed as arbitrary even if   no   particular   reason   is   forthcoming   for   the   same   unless   it   is   shown to be capricious or whimsical or wide off the reasonable   mark. The choice of the date for advertising the posts had to   depend   on   several   factors,   e.g.   the   number   of   vacancies   in   different disciplines, the need to fill up the posts, the availability   of candidates, etc. It is not the case of anyone that experienced   candidates were not available in sufficient numbers on the cut­ off date. Merely because the respondents and some others would   qualify   for   appointment   if   the   last   date   for   receipt   of   applications is shifted from January 31, 1988 to June 30, 1988   is   no   reason   for   dubbing   the   earlier   date   as   arbitrary   or   irrational. We are, therefore, of the opinion that the High Court   was clearly in error in striking down the government's action of   fixing the last date for receipt of applications as January 31,   1988 as arbitrary."

                              (Emphasis supplied)  In  view of the aforesaid decision  also,  merely  because  6 some   of   the   petitioners   will   be   accommodated   if   the   cut­off  date is shifted, which by itself is no reason for holding that the  earlier   cut­off   date   fixed   by   the   authority   is   arbitrary   or  irrational.

(vi) It has been held by the Hon'ble Supreme Court in the case of  University Grants Commission v. Sadhana Chaudhary & ors.,  as   reported   in  (1996) 10 SCC 536,  in   paragraph   no.21,  as   under: 

"21. We find considerable force in the aforesaid submissions of Shri   Banerjee. It is settled law that the choice of a date as a basis for   classification cannot always be dubbed as arbitrary even if no   particular   reason   is   forthcoming   for   the   choice   unless   it   is   shown   to   be   capricious   or   whimsical   in   the   circumstances.  When it is seen that a line or a point there must be and there is   no   mathematical   or   logical   way   of   fixing   it   precisely,   the   decision   of   the   legislature   or   its   delegate   must   be   accepted   unless   it   can   be   said   that   it  is   very   wide   off   the   reasonable   mark. (See: Union of India v. Parameswaran Match Works at p.   579 and Sushma Sharma (Dr) v. State of Rajasthan at p. 269.)   In   the   present   case,   the   date,   31­12­1993,   as   fixed   by   notification   dated   21­6­1995,   in   the   matter   of   grant   of   exemption from the eligibility test for appointment on the post   of   lecturer   has   a   reasonable   basis   keeping   in   view   the   time   taken   in   submitting   the   Ph.D.   thesis   or   obtaining   M.   Phil.   degree by candidates who had undertaken the study for Ph.D.   or M. Phil. degree prior to the issuance of the 1991 Regulations   and the date, 31­12­1993,  cannot be held to be capricious or   whimsical or wide off the reasonable mark. The High Court of   Punjab and Haryana has proceeded on the basis that the cut­off   date for the purpose of granting exemption from eligibility test   should have nexus with the date of the advertisement inviting   applications for appointment on the post of Lecturers. The High   Court was in error in taking this view.
          ......................................"

                             (Emphasis supplied)  Thus, in view of the aforesaid decision, the choice of cut­ off date as a basis for classification cannot be held as arbitrary,  even if no particular reason is forthcoming for the choice of  that cut­off date.

(vii) It has been held by the Hon'ble Supreme Court in the case of  Dr. Ami Lal Bhat  v. State of Rajasthan & ors., as reported in  (1997) 6 SCC 614,  in paragraph nos. 5, 7,  11 and  17, as   under:

"5.  This contention, in our view, is not sustainable. In the 7 first   place   the   fixing   of   a   cut­off   date   for   determining   the   maximum or minimum age prescribed for a post is not, per se,   arbitrary. Basically, the fixing of a cut­off date for determining   the maximum or minimum age required for a post,  is in the  discretion of the rule­making authority or the employer as the   case may be. One must accept that such a cut­off date cannot   be   fixed   with   any   mathematical   precision  and   in   such   a   manner as would avoid hardship in all conceivable cases.  As  soon as a cut­off date is fixed there will be some persons who   fall on the right side of the cut­off date and some persons who   will   fall   on   the  wrong   side   of   the  cut­off   date.   That   cannot   make the cut­off date, per se, arbitrary unless the cut­off date is   so wide off the mark as to make it wholly unreasonable. This   view   was   expressed   by   this   Court   in   Union   of   India   v.   Parameswaran   Match   Works   and   has   been   reiterated   in   subsequent cases. In the case of A.P. Public Service Commission   v. B. Sarat Chandra the relevant service rule stipulated that the   candidate should not have completed the age of 26 years on the   1st day of July of the year in which the selection is made. Such   a   cut­off   date   was   challenged.   This   Court   considered   the   various steps required in the process of selection and said,    "when such are the different steps in the process of selection   the   minimum   or   maximum   age   of   suitability   of   a   candidate for appointment cannot be allowed to depend   upon any fluctuating or uncertain date. If the final stage   of   selection   is   delayed   and   more   often   it   happens   for   various  reasons,  the candidates   who  are eligible on   the   date of application may find themselves eliminated at the   final stage for no fault of theirs. The date to attain the   minimum   or   maximum   age   must,   therefore,   be   specific   and determinate as on a particular date for candidates to   apply   and   for   the   recruiting   agency   to   scrutinise   the   applications".

This Court, therefore, held that in order to avoid uncertainty in   respect   of   minimum   or   maximum   age   of   a   candidate,   which   may arise if such an age is linked to the process of selection   which may take an uncertain time, it is desirable that such a   cut­off date should be with reference to a fixed date. Therefore,   fixing   an   independent   cut­off   date,   far   from   being   arbitrary,   makes for certainty in determining the maximum age.

xx xx xx

7.  In the present case, the cut­off date has been fixed by the   State of Rajasthan under its Rules relating to various services   with reference to the 1st of January following the year in which   the applications are invited. All Service Rules are uniform on   this   point.   Looking   to   the   various   dates   on   which   different   departments  and   different  heads  of   administration   may   issue   their advertisements for recruitment, a uniform cut­off date has   been fixed in respect of all such advertisements as 1st January   of   the   year   following.   This   is   to   make   for   certainty.   Such   a   uniform date prescribed under all Service Rules and Regulations   makes   it   easier   for   the   prospective   candidates   to   understand   their eligibility for applying for the post in question. Such a date   8 is   not   so   wide   off   the   mark   as   to   be   construed   as   grossly   unreasonable   or   arbitrary.   The   time­gap   between   the   advertisement and the cut­off date is less than a year. It takes   into account the fact that after the advertisement, time has to   be   allowed   for   receipt   of   applications,   for   their   scrutiny,   for   calling   candidates   for   interview,   for   preparing   a   panel   of   selected   candidates   and   for   actual   appointment.   The   cut­off   date, therefore, cannot be considered as unreasonable.  It was,   however,  strenuously urged before us that the only acceptable   cut­off date is the last date for receipt of applications under a   given advertisement. Undoubtedly, this can be a possible cut­off   date.   But   there   is   no   basis   for   urging   that   this   is   the   only   reasonable cut­off date. Even such a date is liable to question in   given   circumstances.  In  the  first  place,  making  a cut­off  date   dependent on the last date for receiving applications, makes it   more subject to vagaries of the department concerned, making it   dependent   on   the   date   when   each   department   issues   an   advertisement, and the date which each department concerned   fixes as the last date for receiving applications. A person who   may   fall   on   the   wrong   side   of   such   a   cut­off   date   may   well   contend that the cut­off date is unfair, since the advertisement   could have been issued earlier; or in the alternative that the cut­ off date could have been fixed later at the point of selection or   appointment. Such an argument is always open, irrespective of   the cut­off date fixed and the manner in which it is fixed. That   is why this Court has said in the case of Parameswaran Match   Works and later cases that the cut­off date is valid unless it is so   capricious or whimsical as to be wholly unreasonable. To say   that   the   only   cut­off   date   can   be   the   last   date   for   receiving   applications, appears to be without any basis. In our view the   cut­off date which is fixed in the present case with reference to   the   beginning   of   the   calendar   year   following   the   date   of   application, cannot be considered as capricious or unreasonable.  On   the   contrary,   it   is   less   prone   to   vagaries   and   is   less   uncertain.

xx xx xx

11.  In our view this kind of an interpretation cannot be given   to   a   rule   for   relaxation   of   age.   The   power   of   relaxation   is   required to be exercised in public interest in a given case; as for   example, if other suitable candidates are not available for the   post,  and  the only  candidate  who  is  suitable has  crossed  the   maximum age­limit; or to mitigate hardship in a given case.   Such a relaxation in special circumstances of a given case is to   be exercised by the administration after referring that case to   the Rajasthan Public Service Commission. There cannot be any   wholesale   relaxation   because   the   advertisement   is   delayed   or   because the vacancy occurred earlier especially when there is no   allegation of any mala fides in connection with any delay in   issuing   an   advertisement.   This   kind   of   power   of   wholesale   relaxation would make for total uncertainty in determining the   maximum   age   of   a   candidate.   It   might   be   unfair   to   a   large   number of candidates who might be similarly situated, but who   may not apply, thinking that they are age­barred. We fail to see   how the power of relaxation can be exercised in the manner  9 contended.

xx xx xx

17.  In the premises the appeals of the candidates who have   challenged the cut­off date under the relevant rules are dismissed   while the appeals filed by the State of Rajasthan are allowed.   The validity of the Rules concerned relating to the cut­off date   being fixed with reference to 1st of January of the year following   the application is upheld. There will be no order as to costs."

                             (Emphasis supplied) In view of the aforesaid decision also, whenever there is  a cut­off date, given for  determining maximum or  minimum  age   for   the   post,   in   question,   there   are   bound   to   be   some  candidates, who will be over­aged or who are age­barred, but,  this   alone   cannot   be   the   reason   for   holding   that   the   cut­off  date, fixed by the respondent authorities is arbitrary. 

Here also, keeping in mind the cut­off date as 1 st January,  2004, candidate like the petitioner will be over­aged or will be  age­barred   and,  thus,   there   cannot   be   any   cut­off   date,     so  precise that there  cannot be any  candidate, who will not be  over­aged or age­barred.

(viii) It  has been held by the Hon'ble Supreme Court in the case of  Ramrao & others v. All India Backward Class Bank Employees   Welfare Association & others, as reported in (2004) 2 SCC 76,   from paragraph nos. 29 to 36, as under: 

"29. It is now well settled that for the purpose of effecting promotion, the employer is required to fix a date for the purpose of effecting promotion and, thus, unless a cut-off date so fixed is held to be arbitrary or unreasonable, the same cannot be set aside as offending Article 14 of the Constitution of India. In the instant case, the cut-off date so fixed having regard to the directions contained by the National Industrial Tribunal which had been given a retrospective effect cannot be said to be arbitrary, irrational, whimsical or capricious.
30. The learned counsel could not point out as to how the said date can be said to be arbitrary and, thus, violative of Article 14 of the Constitution of India.
31. It is not in dispute that a cut-off date can be provided in terms of the provisions of the statute or executive order. In University Grants Commission v. Sadhana Chaudhary it has been observed:
(SCC p. 546, para 21) "21. ... It is settled law that the choice of a date as a basis for classification cannot always be dubbed as arbitrary even if no particular reason is forthcoming for the choice unless it is 10 shown to be capricious or whimsical in the circumstances.

When it is seen that a line or a point there must be and there is no mathematical or logical way of fixing it precisely, the decision of the legislature or its delegate must be accepted unless it can be said that it is very wide off the reasonable mark. (See: Union of India v. Parameswaran Match Works, SCC at 310 : SCR at p. 579 and Sushma Sharma (Dr) v. State of Rajasthan, SCC at 66 : SCR at p. 269.)"

32. If a cut-off date can be fixed, indisputably those who fall within the purview thereof would form a separate class. Such a classification has a reasonable nexus with the object which the decision of the Bank to promote its employees seeks to achieve. Such classifications would neither fall within the category of creating a class within a class or an artificial classification so as to offend Article 14 of the Constitution of India.
33. Whenever such a cut-off date is fixed, a question may arise as to why a person would suffer only because he comes within the wrong side of the cut-off date, but, the fact that some persons or a section of society would face hardship, by itself cannot be a ground for holding that the cut-off date so fixed is ultra vires Article 14 of the Constitution.
34. In State of W.B. v. Monotosh Roy it was held: (SCC pp. 76-77, paras 13-15) "13. In All India Reserve Bank Retired Officers Assn. v. Union of India a Bench of this Court distinguished the judgment in Nakara and pointed out that it is for the Government to fix a cut-off date in the case of introducing a new pension scheme. The Court negatived the claim of the persons who had retired prior to the cut-off date and had collected their retiral benefits from the employer. A similar view was taken in Union of India v. P.N. Menon. In State of Rajasthan v. Amrit Lal Gandhi the ruling in P.N. Menon case was followed and it was reiterated that in matters of revising the pensionary benefits and even in respect of revision of scales of pay, a cut-off date on some rational or reasonable basis has to be fixed for extending the benefits.
14. In State of U.P. v. Jogendra Singh a Division Bench of this Court held that liberalized provisions introduced after an employee's retirement with regard to retiral benefits cannot be availed of by such an employee. In that case the employee retired voluntarily on 12-4-1976. Later on, the statutory rules were amended by notification dated 18-11-1976 granting benefit of additional qualifying service in case of voluntary retirement. The Court held that the employee was not entitled to get the benefit of the liberalized provision which came into existence after his retirement. A similar ruling was rendered in V. Kasturi v. Managing Director, State Bank of India.
15. The present case will be governed squarely by the last two rulings referred to above. We have no doubt whatever that the first respondent is not entitled to the relief prayed for by him in the writ petition."

35. In Vice-Chairman & Managing Director, A.P. SIDC Ltd. v. R.Varaprasad in relation to "cut-off" date fixed for the purpose of implementation of Voluntary Retirement Scheme, it was said: (SCC p. 580, para 11) "The employee may continue in service in the interregnum 11 by virtue of clause (i) but that cannot alter the date on which the benefits that were due to an employee under VRS were to be calculated. Clause (c) itself indicates that any increase in salary after the cut-off point/date cannot be taken into consideration for the purpose of calculation of payments to which an employee is entitled under VRS."

36. The High Court in its impugned judgment has arrived at a finding of fact that the Association had failed to prove any malice on the part of the authorities of the Bank in fixing the cut-off date. A plea of malice as is well known must be specifically pleaded and proved. Even such a requirement has not been complied with by the writ petitioners."

(Emphasis supplied) In  the aforesaid decision also, the whole concept of cut­ off has been explained and it has been held that the  cut­off  date   cannot   be   held   as   arbitrary,   irrational,   whimsical,  capricious or violative of Article 14 of the Constitution of India,  merely because some candidates come within the wrong side of  the cut­off date, especially when there is no malafide alleged  for   delayed   advertisement.   In   the   facts   of   the   present   case,  ground   of   malafide   for   late   advertisement   has   never   been  canvassed. 

(ix) It has been held by the Hon'ble Supreme Court in the case of  Government   of   Andhra   Pradesh   v.   N.   Subbarayudu,  as  reported in  (2008) 14 SCC 702,  in paragraph nos. 5 to 9, as  under:

"5.  In a catena of decisions of this Court it has been held that   the cut­off date is fixed by the executive authority keeping in   view the economic conditions, financial constraints and many   other   administrative   and   other   attending   circumstances.  This   Court is also of the view that fixing cut­off dates is within the   domain   of   the   executive   authority   and   the   court   should   not   normally   interfere   with   the   fixation   of   cut­off   date   by   the   executive authority unless such order appears to be on the face   of   it   blatantly   discriminatory   and   arbitrary.   (See   State   of   Punjab v. Amar Nath Goyal.)
6.   No doubt in D.S. Nakara v. Union of India this Court had   struck down the cut­off date in connection with the demand of   pension.   However,   in   subsequent   decisions   this   Court   has   considerably watered down the rigid view taken in Nakara case   as observed in para 29 of the decision of this Court in State of   Punjab v. Amar Nath Goyal1.
7.  There   may   be   various   considerations   in   the   mind   of   the   executive authorities due to which a particular cut­off date has   been fixed. These considerations can be financial, administrative   or   other   considerations.   The   court   must   exercise judicial   12 restraint   and   must   ordinarily   leave   it   to   the   executive   authorities to fix the cut­off date. The Government must be left   with some leeway and free play at the joints in this connection.
8.  In fact several decisions of this Court have gone to the extent   of saying that the choice of a cut­off date cannot be dubbed as   arbitrary even if no particular reason is given for the same in   the   counter­affidavit   filed   by   the   Government   (unless   it   is   shown   to   be   totally   capricious   or   whimsical),   vide   State   of   Bihar   v.   Ramjee   Prasad,   Union   of   India   v.   Sudhir   Kumar   Jaiswal (vide SCC para 5), Ramrao v. All India Backward Class   Bank Employees Welfare Assn. (vide SCC para 31), University   Grants   Commission   v.   Sadhana   Chaudhary,   etc.   It   follows,   therefore, that even if no reason has been given in the counter­ affidavit   of   the  Government   or   the   executive   authority   as   to   why a particular cut­off date has been chosen, the court must   still not declare that date to be arbitrary and violative of Article   14   unless   the   said   cut­off   date   leads   to   some   blatantly   capricious or outrageous result.
9.    As   has   been   held   by   this   Court   in   Aravali   Golf   Club   v.   Chander Hass and in Govt. of A.P. v. P. Laxmi Devi  the court   must   maintain   judicial   restraint   in   matters   relating   to   the   legislative or executive domain."

        (Emphasis supplied) In view of the aforesaid decision,  even if no reason has  been given in the counter affidavit of the Government that why  a   particular   cut­off   date   has   been   fixed   or   chosen,   still   the  court must not declare it as arbitrary or violative of Article 14  of the Constitution of India, because the fixation of cut­off date  has various considerations.

(x) Whenever a cut­off date is prescribed,  there are bound to be  few candidates, who are falling on the wrong side of the cut­off  date,  but, that does not mean that such cut­off date is per se  arbitrary nor can this Court exercise powers under Article 226  to change the cut­off date because whatever new cut­off date  will   be   prescribed   by   the   High   Court,   still   there   will   be   few  candidates, who may be falling on the wrong side of the cut­off  date. In view of these facts also, this Court is not inclined to fix  a   new   cut­off   date.   No   cut­off   date   can   be   fixed   with   any  mathematical precision that there cannot be any person, who is  not aggrieved by that cut­off date and therefore also, whenever  a policy decision is taken by the State prescribing any cut­off   13 date, the Court will not change the cut­off date even for any  reason whatsoever. If this is allowed by the Court by the way of  unguided sympathy, it will lead to fluctuating cut­off date or  uncertain cut­off date and there will be uncertainty about the  maximum date limit also for submission of the documents.

(xi) It appears that the petitioner has cleared his B.Ed. examination  after the publication of the result by the Jharkhand Academic  Council,   Ranchi.   Thus,   the   petitioner   is   a   fresh   candidate   of  B.Ed. and therefore, he has all chances in future for preferring  an application for his selection. 

6. As  a   cumulative  effect   of   the  aforesaid  facts,  reasons  and   judicial  pronouncements, there is no substance in this writ application. Hence, the  same is hereby, dismissed.       

     

                                  (D.N. Patel, J) VK