IN THE HIGH COURT OF HIMACHAL PRADESH SHIMLA C.W.P. No.1346 of 2002 Date of decision: 7.4.2008. Naresh Kumar ….. Petitioner -Versus- Union of India and others …. Respondents Coram: The Hon’ble Mr.Justice Deepak Gupta, Judge. The Hon’ble Mr.Justice Rajiv Sharma, Judge. Whether approved for reporting? No For the Petitioner: Mr.Naveen Bhardwaj, Advocate vice Counsel for the petitioner. For Respondents: Mr.Sandeep Sharma, Assistant Solicitor General of India. Deepak Gupta, J.(oral) This petition is directed against the order of the learned Tribunal whereby the Original Application filed by the petitioner was rejected. Brief facts of the case are that the petitioner applied for the post of Gramin Dak Sewak Mail Carrier under Bilaspur Head Post Office. He was on the top of the merit list but one Pardeep Kumar was in fact appointed in his place. The petitioner was informed that his application for appointment was not considered since he is a Life Insurance Agent and as such not eligible for appointment as Extra 2 Departmental agent. The petitioner filed an O.A. claiming that his application could not have been rejected and he should have been appointed since he was higher in merit. He also stated that in fact if he was aware of this Rule he would have resigned as Agent of LIC. This application was rejected. Hence, the present petition. It is not disputed that the respondents have issued instructions whereby it has been decided that persons who are working as Agents for Life Insurance Corporation of India would be ineligible to seek appointment to the post of Extra Departmental Agents with the respondents. The reason behind this is that there would be conflict of interest since both LIC Agents as well as Extra Departmental Agents are meant to sell insurance policies. This restriction cannot be said to be unreasonable or arbitrary. The petitioner does not deny the fact that he was working as LIC Agent but according to him he would have resigned in case he would have appointed as Extra Departmental Agent. We are not impressed with this argument. The decision not to appoint LIC Agents as Extra Departmental Agents had been taken by the Department much before the petitioner had applied for the said post. He was ineligible to be appointed as Extra Departmental Agent and therefore was rightly not appointed. 3 The learned Tribunal has correctly decided the matter. We find no reason to interfere with the said decision. Consequently, the writ petition is dismissed. No costs. ( Deepak Gupta ), Judge. April 7, 2008. ( Rajiv Sharma ), PV Judge.