SUDHIR AGARWAL J. - (1.) Petitioners claimed to have worked as Members of Social Audit Teams (hereinafter referred to as the SAT) constituted for Audit work performed under Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme have challenged circular dated 04.09.2017 issued by Director Social Audit U.P. Lucknow giving guidelines for selection and engagement of SAT Members including eligibility and other conditions for engagement to the extent it provides that eligible persons should be 40 years of age on 01.04.2017 and not more than 65 years on the said date. Fixation of minimum age of 40 years has been challenged on the ground that it is arbitrary irrational discriminatory and violative of Articles 14 and 16 of the Constitution.
(2.) On behalf of petitioners Sri Ashok Khare learned Senior Advocate assisted by Sri Akhilesh Kumar Singh Advocate Sri Namit Kumar Singh and Sri S.P. Shukla Advocates have addressed this Court and other counsels for petitioners have adopted their arguments. On behalf of respondents Sri Shashi Nandan learned Senior Advocate assisted by Sri Sanjay Kumar Om Advocate has addressed the Court.
(3.) Since basic question is common in all writ petitions therefore for the purpose of brief factual matrix this Court is referring pleadings of Writ Petition No. 46769 of 2017 which has been filed by 57 petitioners led by Harendra Yadav.;