Recruitment

--- Arts. 175-F & 199 --- Constitutional jurisdiction --- Recruitment --- Scope of judicial interference --- The petitioner applied for appointment as a Constable in the Punjab Police pursuant to an advertisement inviting applications for recruitment against open merit --- After provisional approval by the Recruitment Board, he was referred for medical and physical fitness examination --- The medical report revealed that the petitioner’s visual acuity in one eye was 6/6, while in the other eye it was CF @ 1M, which was below the prescribed criteria --- Consequently, he was declared medically unfit for appointment as a Constable and denied recruitment --- Petitioner contended that denial of appointment was arbitrary and discriminatory, particularly when serving police officials with physical limitations were performing office duties --- The respondents argued that such officials were recruited after being declared medically fit and were not comparable to the petitioner, who failed to meet the basic fitness requirement at the threshold --- Validity --- Medical fitness, particularly eyesight standards prescribed under the Police Rules, was an essential qualification for recruitment, especially in a disciplined force like the police --- Since the petitioner failed to meet the mandatory visual acuity criteria and had not applied under any disability quota, the Court declined to interfere and dismissed the petition while making certain advisory observations.