In a significant judicial intervention, the Gauhati High Court on Friday nullified the appointment of 935 police constables in Nagaland, ruling that their recruitment was executed without the requisite public advertisements. The appointments, made between January 2018 and October 2019, were found to lack transparency and adherence to standard public service recruitment protocols.
Justice Devashis Baruah delivered the verdict in response to a writ petition filed in 2022 by an unemployed youth, challenging the fairness and legality of the recruitment process. The court has directed the Nagaland government to undertake a new, transparent selection procedure, mandating that advertisements be placed in widely circulated newspapers to ensure equitable opportunity.
In his ruling, Justice Baruah emphasized the urgency of rectifying the recruitment process, instructing that the new selections be concluded preferably within six months. The judgment also provides that those whose appointments were invalidated may reapply in the forthcoming process, maintaining their eligibility.
Additionally, the court mandated a relaxation in the upper age limit for applicants, though it upheld the stringent basic qualifications and physical criteria required by the police department.
In an interim arrangement, Justice Baruah permitted the 935 affected appointees to continue in their roles for a period of six months or until the new recruitment process is finalized, whichever comes first. This measure aims to balance the operational needs of the police force with the rights of affected parties and the necessity for lawful hiring practices.
