Plea in Apex Court to postpone Bihar Judicial Services Exam scheduled on Oct 7

A group of aspiring judicial officers have filed a petition in the Apex Court seeking postponement of Bihar Judicial Services Competitive Examination in view of the Coronavirus pandemic.

The petition filed by 13 students challenged the “unjust, arbitrary and unreasonable” act of the Bihar Public Service Commission in issuing the notification for the post of 221 Civil Judges (Junior Grade)/ Judicial Magistrate and prescribing the time line for registration, online application.

“The petitioners submit that the impugned Notice/ notifications are in utter disregard to the fundamental rights and legitimate expectations associated with the said examination which is scheduled to be held on Oct 7, 2020.

The plea said that “The said notifications directly and substantially violate the fundamental right of Equality of Opportunity in public employment guaranteed under Articles 14, 16 and 19 of the Constitution of India to the Petitioners and thousands of their fellow aspirants".

The petitioners have sought quashing or setting aside of the notification.

The petition, to be argued by Lawyer Rajeev Ranjan, said notifications are irrational, prejudicial, arbitrary and manifestly “lacking a sound administrative mind”.  “These are also likely to cause a serious breach to public health due to their inconsistency with the Disaster Management Act and Infectious Diseases Act,” the appeal filed through Lawyer Arvind Gupta said.

According to the petitioners the present situation is likely to make it nearly impossible for the aspirants as well as a very large number of their fellow candidates to take the forthcoming competitive examination.

The petition stated that “It is submitted that schools and colleges might become the breeding ground for the spread of the pandemic as thousands of candidates would gather from various places at their respective examination centres.  “It will be also difficult to ensure sanitization of the question papers and answer sheets/OMRs during the course of examination. Given the statics of the pandemic, it will be against the right to life of the candidates and would raise an unwarranted health emergency". 

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