In CWP-23662-2022-PUNJ HC- P&H HC issues notice to Centre on petition challenging reservation of 27 out 30 posts for male candidates in Army Dental Corps, says recruitment process shall be subject to outcome of writ petition while directing provisional interview of petitioner
Justices G.S. Sandhawalia & Jagmohan Bansal [17-10-2022]

Read Order: SATBIR KAUR V. UNION OF INDIA AND OTHERS

Monika Rahar

Chandigarh, October 22, 2022: While dealing with a writ petition challenging the reservation of 27 out of 30 posts for male candidates in Army Dental Corps by the Indian Army,, the High Court of Punjab and Haryana has issued notice to Union of India in this matter and has also directed the respondents to provisionally interview the petitioner as well. 

The Bench of Justices G.S. Sandhawalia and Jagmohan Bansal also held that the recruitment process shall be subject to final decision of the writ petition. 

The matter is now listed for December 13, 2022.

The petitioner approached the High Court with the grouse that out of the 30 vacancies which were advertised for post of Army Dental Corps by the Indian Army, 27 were reserved for males and 3 for females. The attention of the Court was invited to an earlier advertisement (May, 2021) wherein 37 vacancies were advertised and there was no such categorization. 

It was thus submitted that restricting the number to 3 for female candidates would be against the provisions of the Constitution of India.

It was further pointed out from the information brochure that candidates were called for an interview in the ratio of 1:10 and the final merit-list for grant of Short Service Commission in the Army Dental Corps would be passed on the basis of performance in the interview. It was accordingly submitted that only 30 female candidates were being called for the interview as against 270 male candidates. 

It was also highlighted that the merit which was based on the National Eligibility Entrance Test (NEETMDS), 2022 would go on to depict that for male candidates, merit would dip to 2934 and for the female candidates it would be at 235. 

The Counsel for the respondents-UOI submitted that 14 women candidates were appointed for the earlier advertisement of May, 2021 and she further submitted that 3 vacancies for women were fixed, keeping in view various factors including retirement of female officers.

After hearing the parties, the Court listed the matter on December 13, 2022. 

Further, the directed that the petitioner shall also be provisionally interviewed by the respondents. Also, the Bench held that the recruitment process shall be subject to final decision of the writ petition.