No age relaxation in govt appointment as it will open Pandora’s box: Punjab and Haryana HC

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Read Order: Mahendra Singh Rawat and ors v. Haryana Staff Selection Commission 

LE Correspondent

Chandigarh, July 19, 2021: The Punjab and Haryana High Court has refused to allow age relaxation in government appointment, saying while the Court has sympathy for the petitioners who continue to be unemployed, no indulgence can be given as the same would open a Pandora’s box. 

“Many other candidates who are not before this court, but by virtue of their over age, did not apply would also be entitled to similar indulgence on parity. Same is not permissible in law,” stated a bench of Justice Arun Monga.

As per the background of the case, the Haryana Staff Selection Commission, i.e. respondents in the case, advertised the post of Radiographers in 2013 and 2015, for which the petitioners applied and deposited the requisite fee. In 2019, the respondents cancelled the aforesaid advertisements and re-advertised the above said posts. 

Counsel for the petitioners submitted that in the new advertisement, it was mentioned that all those who had applied against the previous advertisement shall be considered eligible and no fee is required to be paid by them again but they are required to submit a fresh application form. 

At that time, petitioners missed the opportunity and could not reapply.  The petitioners submitted a representation to consider their old application forms for participation in the selection process, but to no avail. Aggrieved by the same, the petitioners approached the High Court. 

The Bench observed, “Admittedly, not only the petitioners missed the deadline to apply for the post in question as per the advertisement/Notification published in the year 2019 but even otherwise, it is a conceded case pleaded by them that between the last advertisement for the said post in 2015 and 2019, the petitioners have become over age. They are seeking mandamus from this Court that since they are still unemployed, therefore, on sympathetic grounds they be granted age relaxation from the upper age prescribed in advertisement of 2019.”

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