HONOURABLE SRI JUSTICE L. NARASIMHA REDDY WRIT PETITION No.18658 OF 2011 ORDER: The respondents issued notification, dated 15-11-2010, inviting applications for the post of Shramiks and Mechanics in the Chittoor Region of APSRTC. The petitioner and several others submitted applications in response thereto. However, the grievance of the petitioner is that the respondents have cancelled the notification and have discontinued the selection process. He contends that the relief granted by this Court in a batch of writ petitions, he became eligible to apply and on account of the cancellation, he is becoming age barred. 2. The respondents filed counter – affidavit, stating that the notification, dated 15-11-2010, was cancelled on account of the fact that certain discrepancies and irregularities have occurred in the context of stipulation of application fee etc. According to them, fresh notification was issued on 30-05-2011. 3. It is after a very long gap that the respondents have issued notification proposing to make appointments to various posts. Many people became age barred. This Court passed orders in WP No.29626 of 2010 and batch directing that the Apprentices, who have worked in the APSRTC shall be given weightage up to maximum of four years. The petitioner became eligible to apply on account of that benefit. However, with the cancellation of the notification, he looses the opportunity to apply. 4. Whenever, a notification is cancelled on any technical grounds and a fresh notification is issued, the employer would be under obligation to treat the applications received in pursuance of the earlier notification as valid, subject to the eligibility of the candidates. The fresh notification, if at all, can enable the candidates, who were otherwise prevented from applying, to apply. By no stretch of imagination, it can be treated as a device to disqualify the candidates, who were eligible, under the earlier notification. 5. Hence, the Writ Petition is disposed of directing that in case the petitioner was within the age limit when he applied in pursuance of the notification, dated 15-11-2010, his application shall be treated as the one in pursuance of the fresh notification, dated 30-05-2011, in the context of age limit. There shall be no order as to costs. ____________________ L. NARASIMHA REDDY, J October 20, 2011. KTL