High Court of J&K and Ladakh cancels recruitment exams, orders probe into ‘irregularities’

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Jammu, December 8

The High Court of J&K and Ladakh on Thursday cancelled the examination conducted recently by the J&K Services Selection Board (JKSSB) for the posts of police sub-inspectors and junior engineers in the Jal Shakti Department.

Disposing of a writ petition filed by one Vinkal Sharma through advocate Abhishek Gupta, Judge Wasim Sadiq Nargal directed the government to constitute a committee to inquire into the conduct of the JKSSB.

The order read that all the exams, including junior engineer-civil (Jal Shakti Department) and sub-inspector (Home Department), are cancelled at whatever stage they are as on date.

The court also mentioned that the process for awarding the contract for conducting the examinations to a private agency, identified as M/s Aptech Limited, was mala fide.

“The government is hereby directed to constitute a high-level committee headed by not less than a retired High Court judge to inquire into the conduct of the JKSSB for the brazen irregularities/illegalities in changing the terms/conditions of the tender,” order stated, adding that it should be inquired as to what weighed with the JKSSB to award a contract to conduct an examination by an organisation which had previously “facilitated malpractices in public examinations”.

The judge further stated in the order, “…the functioning of Jammu and Kashmir Services Selection Board does not inspire confidence in holding public examinations. It has become incumbent on all stakeholders to review the functioning of the board.”

‘Mala fide process’

The court says a panel headed by a retired HC judge be formed to look into the JKSSB’s ‘irregularities’. The HC also terms mala fide the process of awarding the examination contract.