Judicial Exam Scam: SC Agrees To Hear P&H HC Registrar's Plea Against His Suspension

The Supreme Court on Friday agreed to hear a petition filed by Dr. Balwinder Kumar Sharma, Registrar (recruitment) in Punjab and Haryana High Court (HC),  against full Bench’s decision suspending  him from service following the question paper leak in the Haryana Judicial  Service (Preliminary) Examination-2017.

Filing a special leave petition through Advocate-on-Record (AOR) Anup Jain, Sharma challenged the HC full court’s decision to suspend him and also for registration of FIR in the question paper leak case.

On September 15, the full bench of the high court, in its order, had considered the enquiry report submitted by the Registrar Vigilance and the recommendations of the Recruitment Committee and it was also observed that when the said recommendations were placed before the Chief Justice, he agreed to recommendations in para (a), (b) and (c), however, upon recommendation in para (d), left the same to be decided on judicial side.

Sharma questioned the order, saying “in absence of the Petitioner herein (Sharma), without even making him a party or even considering the affidavits submitted by him before the Court and before the Registrar (Vigilance), ex-parte directed for registration of FIR against the Petitioner herein and also directed for further investigation by Special Investigation Team (SIT). Further, without giving any opportunity of hearing to the Petitioner, the Full Bench vide impugned order directed for immediate suspension of the Petitioner herein from his current post of Registrar (Recruitment)”.

The CJI-led bench has tagged Sharma’s petition along with other petitions.

Earlier, the bench had already taken suo motu cognizance of the question paper leak in the Haryana Judicial Service (Preliminary) Examination-2017. Subsequently, another petition was filed by one candidate Suman. These are pending before the CJI’s court and the court would hear those on November 20.