News Citation : 2026 LN (HC) 210 | 2026:CGHC:13853
March 23, 2026 : The High Court of Chhattisgarh at Bilaspur has declined to cancel the state’s constable recruitment process, holding that the alleged irregularities during the Physical Efficiency Test (PET) were limited in scope and did not warrant scrapping the entire selection. However, the Court has directed a fresh inquiry into specific candidates where irregularities were identified, reinforcing the need for fairness and public confidence in recruitment.
The case arose from a writ petition filed by several candidates who had participated in the recruitment process initiated in 2023. They alleged widespread malpractice during the PET stage, including manipulation of physical test parameters and undue advantages to certain candidates. The petitioners also challenged the transparency of the written examination and sought cancellation of the final selection list issued in November 2025.
During the hearing, the State government opposed the petition, arguing that the candidates had participated in all stages of the selection process, including the written examination, without objection. It was only after being declared unsuccessful that they approached the Court. The State further pointed out that similar challenges had already been dismissed earlier and emphasized that corrective steps had been taken once complaints were received.
The Court examined records showing that out of over 32,000 candidates who participated in the PET, irregularities were suspected in a small fraction. An internal inquiry found discrepancies in the marks of 129 candidates, of whom only a few ultimately made it to the final selection list. The Court noted that such limited irregularities could be addressed by isolating the affected candidates rather than invalidating the entire recruitment exercise.
Relying on established Supreme Court principles, the Court reiterated that where it is possible to distinguish between tainted and untainted candidates, the entire selection process should not be annulled. Cancelling the whole process would unfairly penalize candidates who were selected on merit without any wrongdoing.
On the demand for a CBI investigation, the Court found no sufficient material to justify such a direction. It observed that ordering a central probe requires clear evidence of systemic failure or serious compromise of the selection process, which was not established in this case.
At the same time, the Court acknowledged that irregularities had occurred at the Bilaspur PET centre. To address this, it directed the authorities to conduct a fresh inquiry through a senior police official into the candidates identified in prior reports. If any candidate is found to have benefited from unfair practices, their selection or appointment may be cancelled after due process.
The Court ultimately disposed of the petition, balancing the need to maintain integrity in recruitment with the principle of proportionality. It emphasized that targeted corrective action, rather than wholesale cancellation, was the appropriate response in the circumstances.
Case Reference : WPS No. 813 of 2026, Manohar Patel and Others vs State of Chhattisgarh and Others; Counsels: For Petitioners – Mr. Mateen Siddiqui, Advocate; For Respondents Nos. 1 to 3 – Mr. Gary Mukhopadhya, Additional Advocate General; For Respondent No. 4 – Mr. Raja Sharma, Advocate; For Respondents Nos. 5 to 8 – None, though served.
