Can’t change quota priority in midst of selection process: HC

Quota priority cannot be allowed to be changed in the middle of the selection process, said the Madras High Court while rejecting a petition filed by a person who had applied for the post of junior assistant in Dharmapuri district judiciary service.

“If the petitioner is permitted to change the category in the mid of the game, it would affect the result of the practical examination of both the categories, that is, the category for which the petitioner made the application and the category to which the petitioner is now making a claim. Because, if the prayer of the petitioner to change the category is considered, one meritorious candidate is required to be ousted from that category,” held the first bench of Chief Justice Munishwar Nath Bhandari and Justice D Bharatha Chakravarthy. The bench made this ruling after hearing a petition filed by S Sivaranjani, who prayed for a direction to the judicial recruitment cell to select and appoint her to the office assistant post in judicial service in Dharmapuri district under the Group II (iii) priority category.

While applying for the post, the petitioner had sought priority under Group I (ii), which is for the members of the family of armed forces personnel, including the Indian Peace Keeping Force (IPKF) officials, who were killed or disabled in action.

After clearing the written and practical examinations, she attended the interview, during which she wanted to change her priority quota from Group I (ii) to Group II (iii) by submitting an application seeking priority under Group II (iii) which is for the wives, sons and unmarried daughters of serving military personnel.

But rejecting her contentions, the bench dismissed her petition, stating that there was no illegality or error in the action of the respondents in rejecting the claim of the petitioner under Group II (iii), at fag end of the selection, as the change affecting the entire selection could not be allowed at the instance of the candidate.

If the prayer of the petitioner to change the category is considered, one meritorious candidate is required to be ousted from that category –First bench, Madras High Court