HC rules on Paper Leak Case: Fairness cannot be Compromised even if few benefited from Paper Leak

In a major setback for hundreds of aspirants, the Allahabad High Court stepped in to examine the integrity of a large-scale recruitment process for Assistant Professors in Uttar Pradesh, where allegations of question paper leaks and organised malpractice cast serious doubt over the fairness of the selection. The petitions challenged the State’s decision to scrap the written examination despite results being declared, raising a crucial question, can an entire recruitment be annulled when irregularities are detected only among a section of candidates?

The controversy began when candidates who had cleared the written examination conducted under Advertisement No. 51 of 2022 approached the Court after the State abruptly cancelled the results and announced a fresh exam. Counsel for the petitioners argued that the alleged malpractice was limited to a handful of candidates and did not justify discarding the entire process, especially when no conclusive evidence showed widespread systemic fraud.

On the other hand, the State relied on multiple FIRs, a detailed STF investigation, and charge sheets against accused persons involved in leaking papers and taking money, contending that the sanctity of the examination had been irreparably compromised.

The Court sided with the State, underscoring that the purity of a selection process cannot be sacrificed once credible material indicates systemic irregularities. It noted that investigation had already revealed that “atleast about 19 candidates were benefited” and that there remained a real possibility of wider contamination. Emphasising that strict proof beyond doubt is not required in such cases, the Court observed that when the integrity of the process itself is under threat, decisive action is warranted.

It categorically held that “fairness is the utmost object to conduct any examination and under no circumstance it can be permitted to compromise,” and consequently refused to interfere with the decision to cancel the entire examination, permitting fresh recruitment to proceed.

Case Title: Km. Lakshmi and Others Vs. State of U.P. and Ors. 

Case No.: Writ - A No. - 1760 of 2026

Coram: Hon'ble Mr. Justice Saurabh Shyam Shamshery 

Advocate for the Petitioner: Sr. Adv. Siddharth Khare, Adv. Dinesh Kumar Pandey,

Advocate for the Respondent: C.S.C. Gagan Mehta

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