The Allahabad High Court on Friday set aside the results of a joint examination held for recruitment of sub-inspectors in police and platoon commanders in Provincial Armed Constabulary in Uttar Pradesh "to the extent of candidates who used whitener or blade on their answer script (OMR sheets)".
Justice Vivek Kumar Birla, while allowing the petitions of Saket Kumar and several others, directed the UP Police Recruitment and Promotion Board to "prepare the final result afresh after excluding such candidates, as noted above, within a period of six weeks from Friday".
The petitioners had challenged the final results of the examination, declared earlier this year, on the ground that candidates who had used whitener or blade on their OMR scripts, in violation of the instructions issued by the Board, in the written examinations held in September last year were not prohibited from taking part in the subsequent "group discussions" stage.
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The court allowed the petitions with the remark "there is no need to quash the entire result and interest of justice would be served if all such candidates who have used whitener or blade are excluded from the final result dated 16.03.2015 and the final result is prepared afresh".
The court also ruled that "in future specific instruction, whether use of whitener or blade would lead to non-evaluation of OMR sheet or restriction on use of such material is only by way of precaution, must be given in bold letters to avoid any controversy leading to unnecessary litigation".
The recruitment process was held for altogether 4010 posts, of which 3698 were for Sub-Inspectors in police and 312 for PAC Platoon Commanders.
Justice Vivek Kumar Birla, while allowing the petitions of Saket Kumar and several others, directed the UP Police Recruitment and Promotion Board to "prepare the final result afresh after excluding such candidates, as noted above, within a period of six weeks from Friday".
The petitioners had challenged the final results of the examination, declared earlier this year, on the ground that candidates who had used whitener or blade on their OMR scripts, in violation of the instructions issued by the Board, in the written examinations held in September last year were not prohibited from taking part in the subsequent "group discussions" stage.
Online filing of applications for civil services exam begins
The court allowed the petitions with the remark "there is no need to quash the entire result and interest of justice would be served if all such candidates who have used whitener or blade are excluded from the final result dated 16.03.2015 and the final result is prepared afresh".
The court also ruled that "in future specific instruction, whether use of whitener or blade would lead to non-evaluation of OMR sheet or restriction on use of such material is only by way of precaution, must be given in bold letters to avoid any controversy leading to unnecessary litigation".
The recruitment process was held for altogether 4010 posts, of which 3698 were for Sub-Inspectors in police and 312 for PAC Platoon Commanders.