As per case of the applicant-petitioner, the respondents had issued an advertisement in March 1992 for selection of Assistant Lineman. Pursuant thereto, the petitioner had applied in the general category. The petitioner is Saini by caste. At that point of time the inclusion of the said caste in the backward class of general category candidates was under reconsideration as is evident from letter dated 12.09.1991. The petitioner was selected and appointed. The selection process was challenged by the unsuccessful candidates and was quashed vide judgment dated 29.11.1995. Consequently, fresh advertisement was issued in March 1996. The selected candidates were permitted to participate in the said selection process but their candidature was to be considered on the basis of their original applications. However, by then, Ahir/Saini caste was included in the category of backward classes vide notification dated 07.06.1995. The petitioner obtained his caste certificate and appeared in the interview with the said certificate. Since he was selected candidate, he did not fill up fresh application form and in the application form submitted in the year 1992, he was shown as general category candidate. The result was declared in the year 1997 and the petitioner was declared not selected. The petitioner was considered in the general category and not in the BC category, despite his caste certificate, having been produced at the time of the interview. In the result so declared, candidates belonging to the reserved category who
