Ahead of exam, court's helping hand to candidate

Lending a hand to a candidate who fractured his right wrist just before the priliminary examination of the Haryana Civil Services (executive branch) and other allied services 2011, scheduled for Sunday, the Punjab and Haryana high court permitted him to avail the services of a scribe to write the exam.

Lending a hand to a candidate who fractured his right wrist just before the priliminary examination of the Haryana Civil Services (executive branch) and other allied services 2011, scheduled for Sunday, the Punjab and Haryana high court permitted him to avail the services of a scribe to write the exam.

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"It is correct that the rules/instructions do not permit a scribe for a person, who is not physically handicapped. However, in view of the peculiar facts and circumstances of the case and a situation, which has arisen, which is beyond the control of the petitioner and such exigencies cannot be in all situations be covered by the rules/instructions," held the bench headed by Augustine George Masih.

The directions came on a petition filed by Amit Kumar Panchal of Ambala who informed the court that he met with a road accident on March 6 wherein he fractured the wrist of his right hand, which has been plastered.

In its reply, the Haryana Public Service Commission had informed the court that the rules did not permit the services of a scribe in such a situation as scribe is only provided to a physically handicapped (blind or low vision) person.

The commission had objected to a person, whose services had been sought as a scribe, on the ground that he was related to the petitioner. The commission said some other person, who is unrelated to him, may write the exam, in case the request is permitted.

On this, the court ordered that the petitioner would make available a student, who is unrelated to him and fulfills the mandate of a scribe, as prescribed for handicapped candidates.

The court permitted the petitioner to affix his left hand thumb impression, as he will be unable to sign the attendance sheet.