Hemant Gupta, J. - (1.) THIS order shall dispose of aforementioned four letters patent appeals arising out of a common order passed by the learned Single Judge of this Court on 03.06.2011, whereby number of writ petitions challenging the action of the Punjab Public Service Commission in respect of candidates to be called for the main examination were dismissed.
(2.) PUNJAB Public Service Commissioner (for short 'the Commission') issued an advertisement dated 26.11.2009 inviting applications for filling up of 143 posts through Punjab Civil Services Combined Competitive Examination, 2009. However, by corrigendum dated 21.12.2009, the posts of Excise & Taxation Officers were increased from 37 to 74 and, thus, the total number of seats brought within the purview of examination were increased to 180. Punjab Civil Services (Executive Branch) (Class -I), Rules, 1976 i.e. the statutory Rules framed under proviso to Article 309 of the Constitution of India deals with conduct of Preliminary Examination and the candidates to be called for the Main Examination. The relevant provisions read as under: 12. (1) A preliminary competitive examination, the Regulations of which are contained in Appendix II of these rules, shall be held at any place in the State of Punjab as and when notified by the Government through the Commission for the purpose of selection of candidates for admission to the main competitive examination as specified in Rule 13 -A." xxx xxx xxx 13.(1) Applications for permission to sit in the preliminary competitive examination will be called by the Commission and shall be mde in the manner and form prescribed and accompanied by such documents or papers as may be required by the Commission in this behalf." xxx xxx xxx 13 -A (1) A main competitive examination, the Regulations of which are contained in Appendix III of these rules, shall be held at any place in the State of Punjab as and when notified by the Government through the Commission for the purpose of selection by competition of as many candidates for the service as Government may determine. (2) Notice of the date fixed for the main competitive examination shall be published in the Punjab Government Gazette. (3) No candidate shall be allowed to sit in the main competitive examination, unless he has qualified the preliminary competitive examination in terms of the provision of Rule 12. (4) The total number of candidates to be admitted to the main competitive examination shall not exceed thirteen times the total number of vacancies determined by the Government under sub Rule (1).
(3.) THE Commission issued brochure for Punjab State Civil Service Combined Competitive Examination, 2009 containing information in respect of number of vacancies, category -wise break up, the conditions relating to preliminary and main competitive examination. The preliminary competitive examination was contemplated to consist of two papers of objective type (multiple choice questions) and carry a maximum of 450 marks. The candidates, who qualify in the preliminary competitive examination, are entitled to apply for admission to the main competitive examination.;