TV
The Orissa High Court on Friday came as a saviour for 49 applicants barred from participating in the recruitment process for 1360 posts of sepoys/constables in 16 different battalions. The top court directed the Odisha Police State Selection Board (OPSSB) to permit the applicants to submit their application forms.
According to sources, the OPSSB had invited applications for the posts of sepoys/constables with a minimum of 18 years of age and a maximum of 23 years. However, the 49 candidates were allegedly barred from the recruitment process due to upper age limit criteria.
The candidates from the General, SEBC, SC and ST categories then knocked the doors of the top court challenging the OPSSB advertisement. In the petition, the candidates alleged that no upper age relaxation was given for those who had crossed the 23-year age limit.
On behalf of the candidates, advocate Rajib Rath sought the top court’s help to permit his clients to submit their application forms and allow them to appear in the competitive exam.
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Hearing the case, a single judge bench of Justice Sashikanta Mishra ordered, “The petitioners shall be permitted to apply in the online/offline mode pursuant to the advertisement dated 22.09.2024 and also participate in the recruitment process.”
Granting relief, Justice Mishra has now posted further hearings on the matter to November 22.
As per the Orissa Civil Service (Fixation of Upper Age Limit) Rules, 1989 as amended in 2022, the upper age limit for all state government service was fixed at 32 years. But OPSSB has fixed 23 years as the upper age limit for recruiting sepoys and constables, the petitioner pointed out.
Justice Mishra took on record submissions of the petitioner counsel for relaxation of the upper age limit by amending and modifying the eligibility clause in the August 29, 2024 advertisement by taking into consideration Covid-19 pandemic, Odisha Civil Service (Fixation of Upper Age Limit) Rules 1989 and Order 21 of Odisha Battalion Service (Method of Recruitment and Conditions of Service of Sepoys, Constables, Havildars and ASI (Armed) Order 2022), which provide relaxation clause.
