HC stays selection process for 248 Punjab State Rural Livelihoods Mission posts

The recruitment process for the 248 posts of various management, administrative and technical positions was initiated on January 28 this year, the exam was held on February 22 and the result was declared on February 24

The Punjab and Haryana high court has stayed the selection process to fill 248 positions in the Punjab State Rural Livelihoods Mission (PSRLM) over “anomalies” in the award of marks to some candidates.

Notably, the high court on August 10 had also stayed the appointment process for the recruitment of 454 posts of pharmacists in Punjab. (Getty Images/iStockphoto)

PSRLM is a poverty reduction project implemented by the Punjab government, under the guidance of Union ministry of rural development, to promote self-employment among rural poor households through self-help groups.

The recruitment process for the 248 posts of various management, administrative and technical positions was initiated on January 28 this year, the exam was held on February 22 and the result was declared on February 24.

“The further proceedings in the selection process shall remain stayed till the next date of hearing as prima facie certain anomalies and ambiguities have been noticed in the manner of awarding marks under different heads to the candidates, who appeared in the examination,” the bench of justice Sandeep Moudgil said in the August 12 order, while deferring hearing on the pleas for September 2.

The petitions filed in May had alleged that no merit list or consolidated chart showing the marks awarded to each candidate in the written examination was published. The petitioner and the other candidates were called for an interview on February 25 and 26 during which scrutiny of documents was undertaken, the plea said, adding that the selection list was declared without mentioning the date or marks obtained by each candidate.

The entire process was opaque and deprived the candidates of verifying whether the prescribed criteria had been uniformly applied. The irregularities highlighted render the impugned selection arbitrary, discriminatory and violative of Articles 14 and 16 of the Constitution of India, the plea by Meenakshi Devi and others alleged.

Following the plea, on July 21, the court had summoned the complete record of the marks awarded to candidates in the written test and interview and under the individual heads of qualification, experience, etc.

On July 23, an advocate was appointed as head of a committee to examine the application forms and scrutinise the record. Following the exercise, the lawyer submitted a sealed cover report, indicating anomalies in award of marks in some cases. This report was opened on August 12, the day the court stayed the selection process.