241 overage aspirants to appear for SI selection process in J&K

The Central Administrative Tribunal (CAT) on Saturday directed the Jammu and Kashmir Services Selection Board (JKSSB) to allow 241 overage aspirants to take part in the selection process for sub-inspectors in the police department.

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However, the CAT’s Jammu bench, comprising Rajinder Singh Dogra (Judicial Member) and Ram Mohan Johri (Administrative Member), also said that the results of these applicants shall be kept in a sealed cover by the board, which shall await further orders from the tribunal, Sheikh Shakeel Ahmad, one of the lawyers representing the applicants, said.

The JKSSB held the sub-inspector recruitment exam on March 27, 2022, but the selected list of 1,200 candidates, along with 1,300 junior engineers and 1,000 finance account assistants, was cancelled by the J&K administration in July following allegations of paper leak and malpractice.

The CBI, which was given charge of the case, filed a chargesheet against 33 people on November 12, 2022.

Disposing of the application filed by 241 overage unemployed graduates seeking one-time age relaxation, the CAT Jammu bench directed the JKSSB to allow the applicants to participate in the process of selection to the posts of sub-inspector notified last month.

The Bench also directed that the participation of the applicants shall be at their own risk and responsibility, and their results shall be kept in a sealed cover pending further orders from the tribunal.

The lawyers representing the applicants argued that public employment is a national wealth and all eligible candidates have a fundamental right of consideration to participate in a competitive examination but in the instant case, the maximum age for participation has been restricted to 28 years and 241 applicants before the tribunal became overage because of the “inaction on the part of the indenting department (Home Department) as the advertisement was issued after the lapse of more than three years from the last selection process,” Ahmad said.

He said they also highlighted a 2005 government order which directed all administrative secretaries of the J&K government to refer the vacancies every year up to January 15 to the J&K Public Service Commission and JKSSB.

Ahmed said the bench was also informed of a previous order passed by the High Court of J&K and Ladakh directing the JKSSB to allow the petitioners to participate in the process of selection at their own risk and responsibility.