STATE OF RAJASTHAN vs HITENDRA KR BHATT

The Supreme Court held that the eligibility criteria set forth in the advertisement for recruitment must be strictly adhered to, specifically noting that the cut-off date for qualifications is critical. The Court ruled that the respondent was not eligible for consideration as he did not possess the requisite qualifications by the stipulated deadline of 29.6.92, despite being appointed provisionally due to an interim order from the High Court. The Court dismissed the appeal, affirming that the appellants acted correctly in not considering the respondent's application based on the clear terms of the advertisement.