Punjab and Haryana High Court Denies Appointment of Acquitted Candidates in Recruitment Scam as Judges

In a significant ruling, the Punjab and Haryana High Court upheld its decision to not reinstate the appointments of candidates acquitted in a judicial recruitment scam. The case, Navdeep Singh and Another v. State of Punjab and Others, saw the Court dismissing the petition filed by the candidates seeking to restore their appointments.

Background of the Case

The candidates had successfully cleared the Punjab Civil Service (Judicial Branch) examination in 2001. However, in 2002, their appointment letters were cancelled due to their involvement in a recruitment scam. The candidates were later charged under the Prevention of Corruption Act but were acquitted in 2016. Following their acquittal, the candidates sought the restoration of their appointments, but the High Court had already decided in 2017 against reinstating them.

Court's Judgment and Observations

The Bench, comprising Chief Justice Sheel Nagu and Justice Sumeet Goel, ruled that the candidates had only approached the Court in 2016—nearly a decade after their appointments were terminated. The Court found their justification for the delay, citing the criminal trial, insufficient. The Bench pointed out that multiple recruitments had taken place since 2002, and it was unreasonable to invoke extraordinary jurisdiction after such a long delay.

The Court invoked the doctrine of laches, which bars legal claims made after an unreasonable delay, noting that the cause of action had naturally expired. The judgment emphasized that a writ petition could not revive a claim that had already lost its merit over time.

Final Decision

In light of these observations, the Punjab and Haryana High Court dismissed the petition, reinforcing the legal principle that delayed claims cannot be entertained, especially when the legal landscape has changed significantly since the original issue arose.