APPSC Group 1 exams: HC voids PSC order

By S A Ishaqui
Hyderabad, July 23 : The AP High Court on Wednesday declared that selection of candidates for the Group 1 main examination in the ratio of 1: 50 in the order of merit without reference category or community was irrational.
A division bench comprising Justice Ghulam Mohammed and Justice C.V. Ramulu while allowing the petition observed that clause irrespective of communities in the GO is declared as irrational and the words 'irrespective of communities' are set aside".
The court agreed with contention of senior advocate S Ramachnadra Rao who appeared on behalf of the petitioner.
He said that the APPSC has violated the right to equal opportunity guaranteed under Article 16 of the Constitution by excluding the reserve categories from the zone of consideration.
The High Court's decisin came after Mr Baloji Badhavath and 31 others challenged the orders of the AP Administrative Tribunal on publishing results of examinations conducted by the AP Public Service Commission.
The tribunal passed an order on July 4 upholding the clause of the GO Ms. No. 570, that the number of candidates admitted to the written examinations would be 50 times the total number of vacancies available at the time irrespective of communities.
"After the court verdict the APPSC now has to undertake a fresh exercise to select candidates on basis of reservations including women and issue call letters to the candidates once again for Group-I main examinations" said Mr Rao.
The APPSC selected 9800 candidates to the main examination out of 1, 68, 000 candidates who appeared in preliminary examinations.