Once petitioners did not have qualifications of Diploma at time of applying & sat in examination at subsequent point of time, they can’t claim any equity:HC

Read Order: Manisha & another v. State of Haryana and others

LE Staff

Chandigarh, September 15, 2021: While dismissing the Petition filed under Articles 226/227 of the Constitution of India, the Punjab and Haryana High Court has reiterated that the cut-off date is sacrosanct and once the petitioners did not have the qualifications of Diploma at the time of applying and sat in the examination at a subsequent point of time, they cannot claim any equity.

The Court was considering a petition filed by the petitioners for consideration for appointment for the post of Art & Craft Teachers against advertisement No.6 of 2006 dated July 20,2006 on the ground that they had found eligible and appeared in the interview processes.

Thereafter, their claim had been rejected on account of the fact that they did not possess the requisite qualifications for the said posts.

The Bench of Justice G.S.Sandhawalia observed that it was not disputed that the respondent-Commission had called the petitioners for interview,  by a notice dated March 10,2021  subject to fulfillment of eligibility conditions, as per the advertisement and service rules.

As per the advertisement itself, the cut-off date for application was August 21,2006.

The stand of the official respondents was that the petitioners gave the examination of Diploma in Art & Craft in September, 2006 and therefore, they did not had the requisite essential educational qualifications on the cutoff date.

The Court was of the opinion that in such circumstances, the respondents could not be faulted in any manner in holding the petitioners to be ineligible.

“It is settled principle that the cut-off date is sacrosanct and once the petitioners did not have the qualifications of Diploma at the time of applying and sat in the examination at a subsequent point of time, they cannot claim any equity”, clarified the Bench.