Ex-SC judge to probe Haryana judicial exam

Justice Sikri to look into evaluation

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File photo of the Supreme Court.

New Delhi, May 3:The Supreme Court on Friday appointed retired Justice AK Sikri to look into the evaluation process of the main examination for 107 posts of Civil Judge (Junior Division) in Haryana, in which only nine candidates were shortlisted out of more than 1,100.

A total of 14,301 students took the preliminary examination on December 22 last year for 107 vacancies and 1,282 were declared successful to take part in the main examination held on March 15 and 17 this year. More than 1,100 candidates appeared, but only nine qualified.A Bench headed by Chief Justice of India Ranjan Gogoi asked the Punjab and Haryana High Court to submit answersheets to Justice Sikri, who will examine if the evaluation was acceptable.

On Monday, the Bench had directed the HC Registry not to appoint any civil judge without its nod and summoned the Registrar General with the selection records.The order came on a petition by 92 aspirants, seeking quashing of result of the main examination which was declared on April 11. They have challenged the selection process and evaluation method adopted, terming the entire exercise “unreasonable, arbitrary and mala fide”.

They alleged that RTI applications seeking disclosure of marks, copies of answer scripts, model answers and marking criteria were not answered and interviews were scheduled.