KOHIMA: The Kohima Bench of the Gauhati High Court has ruled in favour of nullifying appointments of 935 police constables who were inducted into service between January 2018 and October 2019 without obligatory public advertisement.
The verdict delivered by Justice Devashis Baruah on Friday, instructs the Nagaland government to restart a fresh recruitment process, ensuring transparency and compliance with legal protocols.
The decision came in response to a writ petition filed in 2022 by a group of unemployed youth hailing from Kohima and Chümoukedima districts.
The petitioners alleged foul play in the recruitment process, saying that it was facilitated through backdoor means.
They emphasized that these methods do not uphold the sanctity of the process, arguing that necessary advertisements would have ensured a level playing field for all.
Justice Baruah has directed the concerned authorities to complete the recruitment process within a period of six months. The judge has also mandated the advertisement of these posts in prominent local newspapers to reach a wider audience.
In a major relief to those whose appointments will be annulled due to this order, the court has allowed these individuals to take part in this new recruitment drive, providing them with an upper age limit relaxation.
However, the ruling also clarifies that no leniency will be shown towards basic qualifications, adding that minimum physical requirements will not be compromised.
The court has also permitted the appointed constables to continue their service for a period of six months from the date of judgment or until new appointments are finalized, whichever comes first.
This aims to minimize the impact of the verdict and balance the interests of the affected recruits while ensuring that future candidates get a fair and lawful recruitment process.
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