Allahabad High Court
MANOJ KUMAR SINGH AND 13 OTHERSversusSTATE OF U.P. AND ANOTHER
- Decided
Holding
The court held that it cannot issue a mandamus to relax the age limit as the petitioners do not possess a legal right to such relaxation.
Summary
The petitioners, a group of thirteen applicants, filed a writ petition seeking a judicial order to relax the age limit for a recruitment advertised on 04‑09‑2025. They argued that the age restriction barred them from participating and requested the court to issue a mandamus directing the authorities to relax it. The court observed that the relief sought does not constitute a legal right and, in the absence of pleadings on the matter, cannot be granted by mandamus. It further noted that the appropriate forum for such a request is the recruiting authority itself, which may consider the matter sympathetically if no legal bar exists. Consequently, the court declined to issue any mandamus and disposed of the petition, directing the petitioners to approach the concerned department for relief.
Issues considered
- Whether a writ court can issue a mandamus directing the relaxation of age criteria in a recruitment process.
- Whether the petitioners have a legal right to age relaxation that can be enforced by the court.
Subjects
- age relaxation
- recruitment
- writ petition
- mandamus
- administrative discretion
- High Court
Judgment
HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT ALLAHABAD
WRIT - A No. - 7420 of 2026
Manoj Kumar Singh And 13 Others
.....Petitioner(s)
Versus
State of U.P. and Another
.....Respondent(s)
Counsel for Petitioner(s) : Rajesh Yadav, Sanjay Kumar Yadav
Counsel for Respondent(s) : C.S.C., Mahendra Narain Singh
Court No. - 32
HON'BLE SAURABH SHYAM SHAMSHERY, J.
1. Heard Sri Rajesh Yadav, learned counsel for petitioners and Ms. Anita
Kushwaha, Advocate holding brief of Sri Sanjay Kumar Om, Advocate for
Respondent-2.
2. Petitioners want relaxation of age to participate in a recruitment process
arising out of Advertisement dated 04.09.2025.
3. However, the Court finds that aforesaid prayer cannot be considered as a
right and without exchange of pleadings matter cannot be decided.
4. At this stage, learned counsel for petitioners submits that petitioners will
approach concerned respondent of State that issue of age relaxation be
considered.
5. Learned counsel for respondents submits that no mandamus be issued for
consideration of age relaxation.
6. In aforesaid circumstances, considering that in given circumstances the
Court cannot issue a mandamus that age be relaxed, therefore, this writ
petition is disposed of that petitioners will have liberty to approach the
concerned respondent, who will look into the matter, if necessary, in a
sympathetic manner, if there is no legal impediment.
May 18, 2026
AK (Saurabh Shyam Shamshery,J.)
Digitally signed by :-
AWADESH KUMAR
High Court of Judicature at Allahabad
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