Haryana Court criticizes HPSC for unjust rejection

The Punjab and Haryana High Court has criticized the Haryana Public Service Commission (HPSC) for its handling of a candidate's application for a judicial services position. The court imposed a penalty of Rs 1.5 lakh for unjustly rejecting the application of Divya Kalia, who had provided valid documents. The court stated that state agencies must act fairly and responsibly when involved in legal disputes with citizens. Unlike private litigants, the state has a greater duty to ensure justice. The court found that the HPSC acted with negligence and entered unnecessary litigation, which resulted in added costs being directed to the petitioner and a health fund. Divya Kalia had applied for the civil judge position after the HPSC advertised vacancies in January 2024. She completed her exams and was set for an interview in September 2024. However, her application was questioned because of missing details on her Scheduled Caste (SC) certificate and a domicile certificate. Despite presenting the necessary documents, her application was still rejected. Kalia's lawyer argued that the missing registration number on her SC certificate was not her fault and that the tehsildar had confirmed the certificate's validity. The HPSC defended its decision, claiming the documents did not meet their requirements. The High Court, after reviewing the case, criticized the HPSC’s mechanical and indifferent approach, noting that such conduct harms the judicial process and shows a lack of serious consideration of its responsibilities.