JITENDER KUMAR Vs. STATE OF PUNJAB

JUDGEMENT

(1.) CHALLENGE in the present writ petition is to the appointments of the private respondents as Additional District & Sessions Judges in the State of Punjab and to issue a writ of mandamus directing the High Court to hold interview afresh of the eligible candidates. The High Court advertised 21 posts of Punjab Superior Judicial Service to be filled up by direct recruitment in the State of Punjab through competitive examination under Rule 7(3)(c) of the Superior Judicial Service Rules, 2007 (for short 'the Rules') vide notification dated 02.02.2008. Out of the said posts, 10 posts were meant for General Category, 6 posts for Scheduled Castes Category, 2 posts for Backward Class Category, 1 for Backward Class (Ex -Servicemen) category, 1 for Ex -Servicemen (General Category) and 1 for Physically Challenged Category of Locomotor or Orthopedic Disability.

(2.) IN pursuance of such advertisement, the petitioner applied for one of the posts meant for General Category. A written examination was conducted, the result of which was declared on 29.05.2008. 31 candidates from the General Category were declared successful. On 02.07.2009 to 04.07.2009, interviews were conducted for which the petitioner was called for to appear in the viva voce on 03.07.2008. The interview was conducted by a Committee of five Judges.

(3.) ANOTHER writ petition bearing C.W.P. No. 20729 of 2008 titled as "Sudeepti Sharma v. State of Punjab and others," came to be decided by this Court on 19.08.2013, wherein numerous grounds to challenge the same selection process remained unsuccessful. Learned Counsel for the Petitioner submits that most of the grounds to challenge have remained unsuccessful in the two cases, still he has the following submissions to make to impugn the selections. He submits that: