Hi, If i understood your question correctly, here is my suggestion:

I don't have much idea about Template and javascript "admin.submit()". so, I tried simple database and submit button.

In the below code for list1, "if" part is run in first time and "else" part is run after submit the form.

if ($q->param('list1') eq '')
{
print "<tr bgcolor=\"#ffffff\">
  <td class=\"colhead\">List1</td>
  <td><select name='list1' size=\"1\" style=\"background-color:#DDD;\"
+>";

while (my ($ca) = $sth1->fetchrow_array())
{
 print "<option value=\"$ca\">$ca</option>";
}
print "</select>
  </td>
</tr>";
}
else
{
print "<tr bgcolor=\"#ffffff\">
  <td class=\"colhead\">List1</td>
  <td><select name='list1' size=\"1\" style=\"background-color:#DDD;\"
+>";

 print "<option value=\"". $q->param('list1') ."\">". $q->param('list1
+') ."</option>";
print "</select>
  </td>
</tr>";    
}
[download]

I think it helps you.

Regards,
Velusamy R.