Sindh High Court (SHC) on Wednesday sought comments from the provincial chief secretary, the S&GAD secretary and Sindh Public Service Commission (SPSC) chairman on a petition against alleged favoritism in holding of interviews for employment of candidates having passed the combined competitive examination.
The SHC bench, headed by Justice Muhammad Ali Mazhar, was hearing the petition filed by Yasir Ali, Rashid Ali Sodhar, Veesomal, and Waqar Ahmed, who all had appeared and passed the test and moved the court accusing the SPSC of rigging the interviews to favor their relatives and friends.
The petitioners submitted that the SPSC had issued advertisement in July 2013, inviting applications from eligible candidates for appointment on various posts in grade-16 and 17 through combined competitive examination.
Later in 2014, the SPSC decided to conduct screening test and the aspirants were required to secure minimum 50 percent marks to qualify for appearing in the written examination.
The petitioners told the judges that they all cleared the subsequent written examination held in April 2015 and were called for interviews which were conducted from April 25 to August 11 this year.
Much to the dismay of three petitioners, their names were not on the list, whereas petitioner Rashid Ali Sodhar was declared successful and appointed to the post of additional district controller (BS-16) in the Food Department, they added.
The commission neither issued them mark sheets nor published a final merit list or waiting list of successful candidates on its website, which was flagrant violation of the settled laws and norms set by Federal Public Service Commission and Punjab Public Service Commission which made results public by posting them on their portals to maintain transparency, they argued.
“To the dismay and consternation of successful candidates, the members of the interviewing committee extended undue and unfair favour and benefit to their relatives and friends,” they alleged.
The court was informed that the apex court had already taken suo motu notice and restrained the authorities concerned from making further appointments.
The petitioners requested the court to set aside all the interviews conducted by the SPSC’s interviewing committee and order the commission to constitute fresh committee to conduct fresh interviews.