Last Updated on December 8, 2022 at 7:24 pm
Justice Wasim Sadiq Nargal of Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh High Court in a judgment directed Govt to constitute a high level Committee headed by not less than a retired High Court Judge to enquire into the conduct of Jammu and Kashmir Service Selection Board for the their brazen irregularities/illegalities in changing the terms/conditions of the tender, also as to what weighed with them to award a contract to conduct an examination by an organization which has previously facilitated malpractices in public examinations and accordingly appropriate action be initiated against those found guilty.
Justice Wasim Sadiq Nargal while allowing the petition, observed that the contract awarded by JKSSB in favour of M/s Aptech Limited pursuant to e-NIT No.19 of 2022 dated 30.09.2022 for conduct of its various examinations through computer based tests mode is quashed. Consequently, all the exams viz Junior Engineer-civil (Jal Shakti Department) and Sub Inspector (Home Department) held by respondent No.1 through respondent no. 2 in furtherance of the aforementioned “award of contract to conduct examinations” are also set aside/cancelled at whatever stage they are as on date.
Nargal also said that by its own act of omission and commission, the functioning of Jammu and Kashmir Service Selection Board does not inspire confidence in holding public examinations. It has become incumbent on all stake holders to review the functioning of the Board.
The writ petition has been filed on behalf of the petitioners Vinkal Sharma and others, who claim to be the aspirants, who have responded to the advertisement for various examinations to be conducted by the Jammu & Kashmir Services Selection Board (JKSSB) and the two such examinations are Junior Engineer (civil), Jal Shakti Department and Sub Inspector (Home Department) to which all the petitioners have responded to and applied. The petitioners are seeking direction to respondent No.1 not to conduct the examination through respondent No.2 (M/s Aptech Limited), blacklisted in the past, which contract was given to respondent No.2 and as per the petitioners, the examinations are tentatively scheduled to be conducted from 05.12.2022 to 20.12.2022.
