IN THE HIGH COURT OF PUNJAB & HARYANA AT CHANDIGARH Civl Writ Petition No.2027 of 2009 Date of Decision : August 18, 2011. Sandeep Kumar and others .....Petitioners versus State of Punjab and others .....Respondents ---- Civl Writ Petition No.5757 of 2009 Jaspal Singh and others .....Petitioners versus State of Punjab and others .....Respondents CORAM : HON'BLE MR.JUSTICE SURYA KANT. Present : Mr.R.K.Chopra, Senior Advocate with Ms.Heena Talwar, Advocate, for the petitioners. Ms.Sudeepti Sharma, Dy.Advocate General, Punjab. -.- 1. Whether Reporters of Local papers may be allowed to see the judgment? 2. To be referred to the Reporters or not? 3. Whether the judgment should be reported in the Digest? --- Surya Kant, J. (Oral) This order shall dispose of Civil Writ Petition Nos.2027 and 5757 of 2009 as common questions of law and facts are involved in both the cases. For brevity, the facts are being extracted from Civil Writ Petition No.2027 of 2009. CWP Nos.2027 & 5757 of 2009 [2] The petitioners seek quashing of the selection to the posts of Multi Purpose Health Workers (Male) made by the Subordinate Service Selection Board, Punjab, the result whereof was declared on 25.2.2002 (Annexure P-14). The selection has been impugned through these proceedings initiated in the year 2009. In order to explain the inordinate delay and laches, the petitioners have relied upon a public notice dated 9.3.2008 (Annexure A-10 annexed with Civil Misc.No.5460 of 2011), the relevant contents whereof reads as follows:- “Regular appointments of Multi Purpose Health Workers (Male) were made through the Subordinate Service Selection Board, in the year 2001. Regular appointments to 400 Multi Purpose Health Workers (Male) have been made in December, 2007 after the Special Leave Petition in this regard, was withdrawn from the Hon'ble Supreme Court of India. Out of appointment letters issued to these candidates, some of the letters were received back undelivered, the details of which are as under. The details of the appointment letter dated 1.3.2001 CEA 1/113 dated 25.2.2002 sent by the S.S.S.Board, M.P.H.W. (Male). xx xx xx xx xx xx xx They are directed to collect the appointment letters from the office of the Director Health Services and Family Welfare, Punjab, Chandigarh within 15 days of the issue of this notice, on any working day within the office working hours. In case they fail to collect the appointment letters during this period, it will be CWP Nos.2027 & 5757 of 2009 [3] presumed that they are not interested to join service and the appointment letter issued to them shall be cancelled and there shall have no claim over the posts.......” A plain reading of the above-reproduced public notice reveals that the selected candidates had approached this Court and directions for their appointments were issued. The State of Punjab preferred S.L.P. but on re-consideration, it was decided to implement the order of this Court and it withdrew the S.L.P. The petitioners have further averred that 50 candidates were given appointments thereafter vide the letter dated 15.7.2008 (Annexure P-18). Having heard learned counsel for the parties, I am of the considered view that the challenge to the selection made in the year 2002 must fall flat on the ground of delay and laches. The appointments, if any made by the respondents under the directions of this Court in the year 2007-2008 would not revive the cause of action accrued in favour of the petitioners as soon as the selection was finalized in February, 2002. Dismissed. August 18, 2011 (SURYA KANT) Mohinder JUDGE