Aparesh Kumar Singh,J. - (1.) Heard counsel for the parties.
(2.) The writ petitioner was an applicant under the advertisement no. 16/2011 for recruitment to the post of District Fisheries Officer issued by the Jharkhand Public Service Commission (JPSC). However, he has preferred this writ application as he has not been called for interview.
(3.) Learned counsel for the petitioner has stated that the advertisement was issued in the year 2011 and after three years, interview is being called for without explaining any reason for the delay. It is further submitted that out of 305 candidates who had applied, 117 applicants were shown to be rejected. However, one of the candidates namely, Vikash Chandra Gope at serial no. 110 of the rejected list, has also been called for interview by the JPSC, as would appear from the list of short listed candidates at annexure-6. The petitioner's name did not find place in the rejected list, nor in the list of short listed candidates and no information is furnished as to the reasons for non consideration. Learned counsel for the petitioner submits that there are reasons to suspect extraneous consideration in the exercise as in the press note at annexure-5 showing the dates of interview, apart from 108 candidates earmarked for interview on 15 and 16 of this month, the Commission has provided space for interview for others on 17th October 2014, though there are only 117 short listed candidates. Therefore, the petitioner who has higher marks in M.Sc (Zoology) than the short listed candidate Vikash Chandra Gope who is only shown to have the qualification of M.Sc (Ichthyology) with 60% marks, has been denied opportunity to participate in the interview process for final recruitment. Therefore, there is arbitrariness and discrimination in the process of recruitment.;