Sanjib Banerjee, J. - (1.) The three petitions are identical and are dealt with by this common judgment and order.
(2.) The petitioners applied in 2001 for the post of sub-officer in the West Bengal Fire & Emergency Services. Their candidature was sponsored by the employment exchange. Their grievance over the last sixteen years or so is that they were unfairly denied employment despite being found fit for selection to the post.
(3.) These are review petitions and a narration of how the review came to be filed is necessary before embarking on an assessment on merits. Though the merit-list for the selection of candidates to the post was published early in 2002, the first of the petitions challenging the exclusion of the petitioners was carried to the State Administrative Tribunal in 2009 by OA of 564 of 2009. Such petition was disposed of by an order of August 19, 2009. The submission attributed to the relevant petitioners in such order was that they would be satisfied at this stage if the entire application of the petitioner along with connected documents be referred to the Secretary of the department, Respondent no.1 for consideration according to existing Govt. Rule. Accordingly, the petition was disposed of by granting liberty to the petitioners to refer the matter to the relevant secretary and the secretary was directed to consider the matter if necessary, by giving personal hearing to the petitioner and to dispose of the same by recording reasoned order within 4 months on receipt of such application.;