As per case facts, a recruitment for Sub Engineer (Civil) posts by the Panchayat Department saw numerous irregularities, including the appointment of candidates who lacked essential educational qualifications by the ... application deadline and an excess of appointments beyond advertised vacancies. Despite committees deeming many ineligible and criminal proceedings initiated against officials, several ineligible appointees continued in service. Aggrieved by this inaction, the appellant filed a Writ Petition, which a Single Judge dismissed due to lack of locus standi, leading to this appeal. The question arose whether private respondents possessed the essential educational qualification on the cut-off date, and if not, whether their continued occupation of public posts was lawful. Finally, the Court partly allowed the appeal, declaring appointments of most ineligible respondents illegal and void ab initio, cancelling them, but protected two respondents found eligible. No recovery of past payments was ordered due to the state's fault and long service.