Orissa High Court raps OPSC for discriminatory norms in NOC, DC submission

The Orissa High Court on Saturday came down heavily on Odisha Public Service Commission (OPSC) for adopting discriminatory norms in the submission of no objection certificate (NOC) for government servants and ex-servicemen candidates.

The High Court was hearing a petition filed by an ex-serviceman of Indian Navy, Kartik Senapati. Kartik had successfully cleared both the Prelims and Mains of Odisha Civil Services 2020 and the personality test held on September 23, 2022. 

During the hearing, the High Court observed that the OPSC adopted different norms for government servants and ex-servicemen candidates in the submission of their NOC and Discharge Certificate (DC) during Civil Services recruitment.

While government servants were being given the liberty to produce the NOC and DC at the last stage of the recruitment process, Kartik Senapati was rejected during document verification on the ground that his DC was issued after the last date of submission of online application form, New Indian Express reported.

Despite clearing both Prelims, Mains and personality test, Kartik was rejected and he later knocked the doors of the High Court.

The single judge bench of Justice AK Mohapatra said, “On a careful consideration of the aforesaid factual aspects, this Court is of the considered view that the clause providing for submission of the DC within the last date fixed for submission of application form is highly arbitrary and discriminatory. In such view of the matter, this court has no hesitation to hold that the OPSC had no authority to reject the candidature of Kartik Senapati.”

“The rejection order is unsustainable in the eyes of law,” Justice Mohapatra further stated.

Later, the Court directed OPSC to accept the DC submitted by Kartik and give him appointment by reckoning his seniority from the date of his batchmates. However, the petitioner shall not claim any salary or financial benefits for the aforesaid period.