HC directs Haryana staff selection commission to revise merit list

ORDER CAME ON PLEAS ALLEGING IRREGULARITIES IN GIVING ADDITIONAL MARKS UNDER THE SOCIO-ECONOMIC CRITERIA TO ORPHAN CANDIDATES

CHANDIGARH : The Punjab and Haryana high court on Tuesday asked the Haryana Staff Selection Commission (HSSC) to revise the merit list of cops selected for the state police in 2019 pursuant to an April 2018 advertisement.

The high court order was passed on pleas alleging irregularities in the allotment of additional marks under the socioeconomic criteria under orphan candidates’ category. Allegations were that while some were given additional marks, others were ignored. The detailed order is awaited.

Through an advertisement on April 16, 2018, recruitment for a total of 5,000 male constables, 1,147 female constables, 400 male sub-inspectors and 63 female sub-inspectors were announced. The merit list was put out in 2019 and selected candidates joined service.

One of the lawyers associated with the case, RS Dhull, said with the court order, the merit list of all candidates selected under the orphan category will be revised. “Petitioners who were deprived of additional marks will have to be included in the merit list,” Dhull added. As per rough estimates, around 1,050 candidates were given additional marks under the socio-economic criteria for being orphans.

Earlier on February 23, the HC had imposed a cost of Rs 2 lakh on the HSSC after expressing dissatisfaction over its justifications regarding some discrepancies in the record pertaining to these selections. Commission, which had been constituted by gazette notification under Article 309 of the Constitution of India (now got a statutory status after coming into force of the HSSC Act, 2004) for the purpose of streamlining public employment, in the opinion of this court, is failing to discharge its duty,” the HC had observed while imposing cost on the HSSC. The court had also sent record of the case to the DGP, Vigilance, Haryana.