Applications For Judicial Service Exams Reach HC After Last Date Due To Postal Delay: SC Allows Aspirants To Participate In Exam Provisionally [Read Order]

“Subject to their production of evidence before the Registrar (Judicial) of the High Court of Madhya Pradesh at Jabalpur, between 2.00 P.M. to 4.00 P.M. tomorrow i.e. on 21/09/2018, of a valid proof of having dispatched their applications either by Speed Post/Registered Post/Courier on or before 21.08.2018.”

In a relief to aspirants for judicial officer posts, the Supreme Court has permitted them to appear for the main examination for selection and appointment to the post of Additional District Judge in the State of Madhya Pradesh, even though their applications reached later than the last date fixed by the high court, due to postal delay.

The last date fixed by the high court for receipt of applications was 25.08.2018. According to the candidates, they all had dispatched their applications on or before 21.08.2018 by Speed Post/Registered Post/Courier. But as the actual delivery of the application forms in the high court was made beyond 25.08.2018, the high court had debarred them from appearing for the main examination.

Hearing the counsel for these aspirants, the bench of Justice Kurian Joseph and Justice Sanjay Kishan Kaul observed: “We are of the view that it is only in the interest of justice that the 208 candidates, who have now been debarred from participating in the main examination, are permitted to participate in the main examination provisionally.”

This direction is subject to their production of evidence before the Registrar (Judicial) of the High Court of Madhya Pradesh at Jabalpur, between 2.00 P.M. to 4.00 P.M. on 21/09/2018, of a valid proof of having dispatched their applications either by Speed Post/Registered Post/Courier on or before 21.08.2018.

The high court was also directed to publish a copy of this order on the website yesterday itself.

The bench then went on to direct the Post Master General concerned to conduct an inquiry as to what was the reason for the undue delay in delivering the postal articles in the High Court of Madhya Pradesh at Jabalpur and submit a report to it within a month.