From non-scs to IAS: HC stays final selection of candidates

BEFORE THE HC, IT HAS BEEN ARGUED THAT HPSC CAN CONDUCT THE EXAM ONLY WITH RESPECT TO STATE CIVIL SERVICES AND NOT ALL-INDIA SERVICES

CHANDIGARH: The Punjab and Haryana high court has stayed the final selection of candidates for the five posts of Indian Administrative Service (IAS) from amongst the non-state civil service (non-scs) officers in Haryana.

The order was passed by a high court bench of Justice RK Jain and Justice Ashok Kumar Verma on the plea of Surender Singh Dahiya, 52, additional director, agriculture department, who had challenged the Central Administrative Tribunal (CAT) order of August 7.

The CAT had upheld the Haryana government’s June 9 order on Haryana Public Service Commission (HPSC) conducting a written test to shortlist non-scs officers to fill five IAS posts observing that there was no merit in the plea and “by no stretch of imagination, the HPSC is entering the realm of central government or UPSC”.

As per the Haryana government, HPSC was only to conduct a written examination and then forward list of 25 meritorious candidates to the chief secretary and he would then forward this list to the UPSC. Before the HC, it has been argued that HPSC can conduct the exam only with respect to state civil services and not the all-india services. Further, the only criterion for adjudging the outstanding ability and merit of the candidate is by way of service record of a candidate while performing his duties as a non-scs officer. The court was also told that a change in selection rules has been made through an executive order and no specific delegation of power has been conferred upon the state by the Centre for the same. The move goes against the provisions of the All India Service Act, 1951, and the Indian Administrative Service (Recruitment Rules), 1954, the court was told. The hearing will now resume on August 26, when Centre, UPSC, HPSC and Haryana government have to respond to the issues raised in the plea.