Punjab and Haryana High Court: A petition was filed by a Judicial services candidate , who appeared for Civil Judge (Junior Division)-cum-Judicial Magistrate exam, regarding modification of marks obtained in the mains examination of 2016 and calling for viva-voce. The Division Bench of Sheel Nagu* CJ. and Sanjeev Berry J. disposed of the same as upon rechecking and re-evaluating, the marks concerned were modified and the Recruitment Committee of the High Court decided to invite the petitioner for viva-voce.
The Punjab Public Service Commission had advertised 121 posts of Civil Judge (Junior Division)-cum-Judicial Magistrate. The petitioner had appeared in the General Category and had secured 472 marks whereas the cut off marks were 475. The petitioner had contended that the totaling in answer sheet of Civil Law-I paper was wrong and two marks in English paper had been wrongly not awarded to him. Upon rechecking, he was awarding one additional mark. He contended that if remaining two marks were awarded to him then he would have come within the zone of qualified candidates.
Upon evaluation, it was found that two marks should have been awarded to the petitioner. Thus, considering that 7 years of the viva-voce and 9 years of the commencement of the selection process had elapsed, the Court had requested the Recruitment Committee (District Judiciary) of the High Court to take up the matter and make appropriate recommendations as expeditiously as possible by keeping in mind the interest of the institution and as well as the rights of the petitioner.
Since the Recruitment Committee of the High Court decided to invite the petitioner for viva-voice to be held on 21-8-2025, the Court disposed of the petition.
[Rustom Garg v. Punjab and Haryana High Court, CWP No. 17608 of 2019, decided on 8-8-2025]
*Order by: Chief Justice Sheel Nagu
Advocates who appeared in this case:
For the Petitioner: Rustam Garg, Petitioner in person
For the Respondents: Rajeev Anand, Advocate and Salil Sabhlok, Senior DAG, Punjab
