- (1.) This judgment will dispose of C.W.P. No. 2773 of 2005, C.W.P. No. 8747 of 2005, C.W.P. No. 9213 of 2005, C.W.P. No. 15447 of 2005, C.W.P. No. 2048 of 2006, C.W.P. No. 2756 of 2006, C.W.P. No. 5303 of 2006, C.W.P. No. 6634 of 2006 as common questions of law arise in these writ petitions for determination by this Court. For facility, facts are being taken from C.W.P. No. 8747 of 2005.
(2.) Petitioners in this writ petition are all wards/dependents of serving or retired officials of the Punjab Police. They claim to have made an application to the Director General of Police, Punjab seeking recruitment as a Constable in the police department under Rule 12.14(3) of the Punjab Police Rules. The same is reproduced hereunder :- "12.14 Recruits - Status of - (1) Recruits shall be of good character and great care shall be taken in selecting men of a type suitable for police service from candidates presenting themselves for enrolment. (2) xxxxxxxx (3) sons and near relatives of persons who have done good service in the Punjab Police or in the army shall, subject to the consideration imposed by rule 12.12 have preference over the other candidates for police employment." Acting on this application, the Director General of Police, Punjab ordered the enlistment of the petitioners as constables as a special case. In almost all cases, relaxation either in physical requirements or in age was also accorded by the Director General of Police again as a special case.
(3.) It may be stated here that in some of the connected matters, a few persons are those who, not being related to serving/retired officials, made applications to the Director General of Police which were taken up again as special cases and orders were made for enlistment as constables as a special case. Even in these cases, relaxations were ordered in physical requirements or in the upper age limit prescribed under the rules.;