Letters Patent Appeal No. 991 of 2010 (O&M) 1 IN THE HIGH COURT OF PUNJAB AND HARYANA AT CHANDIGARH LPA No.991 of 2010 (O&M) Date of Decision: 21.12.2010 Parminder Singh and another ..Appellants Versus Gurveer Singh and others ..Respondents CORAM : HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE M.M.KUMAR HON'BLE MS. JUSTICE RITU BAHRI Present:- Mr. D.V.Sharma, Senior Advocate with Ms. Shivani Sharma, Advocate for the appellants. 1. To be referred to the Reporters or not? 2. Whether the judgment should be reported in the Digest? M.M.KUMAR, J. The instant appeal filed under Clause X of the Letters Patent is directed against the view taken by the learned Single Judge in the judgment dated 2.2.2010 while quashing the appointments of the appellants to the posts of Constables in the Punjab Police. The learned Single Judge after summoning the record has found that there were blanket relaxations granted in as many as 37 cases out of 65 appointments made by the official respondents. The learned Single Judge has also noticed that a number of eligible candidates were available as there were as many as 1950 applications for 65 posts of Constables in Sports category. According to the learned Single Judge, grant of relaxation in the face of the availability of qualified candidates was wholly arbitrary and did not meet the Letters Patent Appeal No. 991 of 2010 (O&M) 2 requirements of Articles 14 and 16 (1) of the Constitution. We have heard learned counsel at a considerable length and are of the view that no interference in the opinion expressed by the learned single Judge is warranted. The appellants could not have been granted relaxation either in physical standard or educational qualification in the presence of a large number of eligible candidates. Exercise of such a power smacks of mala fide or arbitrariness and is simply against the mandate of Articles 14 and 16 (1) of the Constitution. Accordingly, appeal fails and the same is dismissed. ( M.M.KUMAR ) JUDGE ( RITU BAHRI ) 21.12.2010 JUDGE VK