Introduction:

In a significant ruling, the Telangana High Court addressed a petition challenging the selection process for Child Development Project Officers (CDPO) conducted by the Andhra Pradesh Public Service Commission (APPSC). The case highlighted the importance of adhering to reservation norms and ensuring fair representation for candidates from Scheduled Castes (SC) communities.

Arguments:

Represented by Senior Counsel G Vidya Sagar and Advocate Talat Madiha, the petitioner, belonging to the SC community, contested her exclusion from the final selection list despite securing higher marks than candidates selected in the general category. The petitioner emphasized the need to uphold reservation norms and ensure equitable opportunities for SC candidates.

Counsel representing the APPSC acknowledged procedural errors in the selection process but proposed a pragmatic solution to accommodate the petitioner in a vacant position arising from another candidate’s resignation. This approach aimed to address the petitioner’s grievances without disrupting the entire selection process.

Court’s Judgment:

The Division Bench of Justice Sujoy Paul and Justice N.Tukaramji, relying on the Supreme Court’s decision in State of Tamil Nadu vs. K. Shobana, criticized the APPSC’s methodology for failing to prepare a general merit list and filling backlog vacancies before current year reserved vacancies. The Court observed that three SC candidates had scored higher than the last open-category candidate, warranting their placement in the general category.

Acknowledging the petitioner’s rightful consideration within the SC category, the Court directed the APPSC to treat one SC category post as vacant, allowing the petitioner’s case to be evaluated on merit. If found suitable, she would receive a notional appointment from the date her peers were appointed, ensuring notional benefits but no monetary arrears.