HYDERABAD: A division bench of the Telangana High Court on Friday dismissed a writ appeal seeking a stay on Group-1 preliminary examination scheduled for Sunday, stating that it had no merit.
The appeal was filed against the order of a single judge who had two days ago dismissed the petition. The single judge bench was not inclined to intervene in the Group-1 examination process.
The appellant told the Justice Abhinand Kumar Shavili and Justice N. Rajeshwara Rao that investigation was still going on into the TSPSC exam paper leak case, and the police were arresting the accused. The exams were being held in a hurried manner which will have a serious impact on unemployed youth.
J. Sudheer, senior counsel, appearing for the appellant, said the credibility of the TSPSC had been shattered. He pointed out the top bureaucrats of the TSPSC were continuing in the same post. The PA of the TSPSC secretary had played a crucial role in question paper leak.
The bench felt that stalling the examination was not the solution; holding the re-examination would help the aspirants.
‘Nearly 3 lakh aspirants will be attempting the exam. We should respect the TSPSC for acting in a swift manner and re-conducting the Group 1 preliminary exam,” the bench observed.
Justice Shavili observed, “If the examination is postponed, how much time it will take to file a chargesheet, we don’t know… if your argument is taken into consideration and investigation is handed over to the CBI, it may take 20 years.”
The bench recalled the 2008 DSC selection case which went up to the Supreme Court and was remanded to the High Court. There is no solace for the aspirants after 15 years, the bench said.
Sudheer said, “ f the exam is allowed to be conducted, nearly 500 selected candidates will be sitting on our head for 30-35 years. The TSPSC, despite leakage of question papers, is playing an opaque role by not divulging the information sought by us.”
