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Recruitment of 7,416 cops: HC upholds SAD govt’s decision in 2016 to not hold interviews
The Punjab and Haryana high court has upheld the then Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) government decision in 2016 to do away with the interviews for the recruitment of 7,416 cops in Punjab ahead of assembly polls in the state
The Punjab and Haryana high court has upheld the then Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) government decision in 2016 to do away with the interviews for the recruitment of 7,416 cops in Punjab ahead of assembly polls in the state.
The advertisement to recruit 7,416 constables in the district police and armed police cadre was put out on May 31, 2016. Over 200 petitions were filed challenging the recruitment on various grounds, including marking system, not holding interviews and not following reservation norms.
The high court bench of justice Arun Monga upheld the government decision of not holding interviews, which could have impacted the entire selection as joining letters were issued on the condition that the same will be subject to the HC decision.
Justice Monga observed that it is best left to the wisdom of the competent authorities to decide the educational qualifications and other requirements, including a decision for or against holding of interview carrying weightage and formulae to determine merit for selection to the posts, consistent with the nature and level of the job.
“Considering the level and nature of job of a police constable, I find no justification for holding of interview cum-personality test and/or weightage of marks obtained therein to be kept as an essential requirement for selection,” justice Monga said.
He further recorded that the interview-cum-personality test was dropped as a policy measure to bring more transparency and eliminate chances of subjective and erroneous assessment in awarding marks for the interview. “That apart, the decision had also the obvious merit of eliminating any possibility of the selection being influenced for extraneous considerations through any unethical, unscrupulous and unfair means,” he added.
Justice Monga also said politicisation of recruitment in view of the then-forthcoming assembly elections in 2017, cuts at its own roots and goes against the petitions as it brought more transparency and eliminated chances of subjective and erroneous assessment.
As of issue of wrong measurement of height in the case of some candidates, the high court has said that those petitioners who were aggrieved against the wrong measurement of their height would be given one chance for re-measurement of their height and they should approach authorities within 30 days.
As of challenge laid to violation of reservation norms, the court separated such petitions and said that the issue will be decided separately.
