IMPHAL: In a very rare incident, a law practitioner has lodged a Writ Petition at the High Court of Manipur against the court itself complaining of irregularities while conducting the recruitment exam for the post of District Judge (entry level) in Manipur Judiciary Service in the cadre of High Judicial Service.
The petition was lodged by one Sanjenbam Abung Meetei, 45, son of Manimohan Singh of Sega Road Takhel Leikai, an advocate practising at the high court (WP (C) No. 219, 2014).
The respondents of the case included Registrar General, High Court of Manipur, Registrar, High Court of Manipur, Joint Registrar (Admn/PM&P), High Court of Manipur and Deputy Registrar, High Court of Manipur.
Complaining that his answer sheet was wrongly evaluated, the petitioner pleaded to conduct fresh evaluation of his answer scripts.
Further elaborating on his complaint the petitioner disclosed that for multiple choice type as to paper-I part B question no.1, he had written answer and 2 marks was given by the examiner.
However the examiner again cancelled the mark without assigning any reason or signature in the answer scripts.
It continued that the examiners also failed to give marks for some of the answers for the same paper. Malpractices in question paper II and III etc., were also indicated by the petitioner.
Besides re-checking it further pleaded to pay appropriate compensation for causing mental and physical harassment adequately and to do the needful for the ends of justice.
The petition revealed that the result of the written test was published in a local daily on October 11, 2013 where the Joint registrar (Admn/PM&P) N Rojit Sigh of the High Court of Manipur stated that one of the candidates have secured the minimum qualifying marks in the District Judge direct recruitment examination, 2013.
Not satisfied with the results the petitioner submitted an application (dated November 11, 2013) under Right to Information Act, 2005 seeking Photostat copies of the answer scripts of his (appeared) paper-I, II and III. But, no reply was entertained to the applicant till the statutory period of 30 days.
Subsequently, on January 30, 2014 with the instruction of the acting justice of the High Court of Manipur, relevant documents were furnished to the petitioner and found out the irregularities.
Meanwhile the petitioner was admitted by the court recently wherein the court heard the petition minutely and served show caused notice to the respondents returnable within four weeks (May 21).
The respondents failed to submit to their counter affidavits following which the counsel representing the respondents pleaded for another three weeks to enable to gather their affidavit. (Agencies)
