SC asks rtd judge, Sikri to look into answer sheets

Of 1195, only 9 qualified for interview for 107 posts of civil judge

The Supreme Court on Friday expressed its shock after noting that out of 1195 candidates who appeared for civil judge (junior division) mains examinations 2017, only nine were called for interview against 107 posts in Haryana.

"What have you done? You found only nine candidates eligible for interview," a bench of Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi and Justice Deepak Gupta asked the Punjab and Haryana High Court's registrar general.

The top court appointed retired judge Justice A K Sikri "to look into some of answer sheets of the main examination to make an assessment whether the evaluation should be accepted by the court".

Advocate Prashant Bhushan, appearing for Pranav Verma and 91 other unsuccessful candidates, submitted a former judge should be appointed to see how the evaluation was done. Among the unsuccessful candidates, as many 23 candidates were selected in Delhi, he said.

The court, however, said the selection in Delhi was not a passport for selection in other states.

Senior advocate Maninder Singh appeared for the Punjab and Haryana HC, whose registrar general was also present with records. He said the moderation of the answer sheets was carried out after evaluation.

The court, however, requested Justice Sikri to look into some of the answer sheets to assess the evaluation and "communicate his views and findings at the earliest."

The court directed that all the answer sheets of all candidates should be given to Sikri.

It posted the matter for consideration after four weeks.

The court had earlier asked the Registrar General of Punjab and Haryana High Court to be present before it May 3 with record of selection and evaluation of answer sheets of the candidates for the post of civil judge (junior division) in Haryana of 2017.

The court had directed that no appointment shall be made to the post without permission from the court.

The petitioners claimed there was something wrong with the process as even toppers and gold medalists and those selected in other states could not get through the exams.

The counsel said only nine were declared qualified for the viva voice in the results declared on April 11.

They claimed the selection process or evaluation method adopted for Haryana Civil Service (Judicial Branch) was totally unreasonable, irrational and arbitrary.

"The evaluation method appears to be so unreasonable and irrational that 99.298% candidates which includes toppers/gold medalist of their respective law schools and other states’ judicial service exams could not clear the main examination," a joint petition filed by Pranav Verma and 91 other unsuccessful candidates stated.