Ignoring merit in job selection violation of Constitution: SC

New Delhi, February 25

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Selections to public employment should be on the basis of merit and appointing people with lesser merit ignoring those who have secured more marks will be in violation of the Constitution, the Supreme Court has said.

A Bench of Justices L Nageswara Rao and Indira Banerjee made the observation while upholding an order of the Jharkhand High Court which allowed appointment of 43 persons for the post of Sub-Inspectors on the basis of their merit after the authorities prepared a revised select list correcting the irregularities.

An advertisement was issued for the appointment to the posts of Sub-Inspector, Attendant (Sergeant) and Company Commander by the Home Department of the Government of Jharkhand in 2008.

The final result was published and 382 candidates were selected but later a high-level committee was constituted by the state government to examine the irregularities in the selection process. As many as 43 persons were appointed on the basis of the revised list. The HC had observed that 43 petitioners could not be held responsible for the irregularities committed by the authorities. — PTI