In a significant judgment, the Supreme Court on Friday ruled against the Bihar government’s decision to cancel the 2019 selection process for the recruitment of over 6,000 junior engineers. The process was previously completed by the Bihar Technical Service Commission (BTSC) for positions in the state’s water resources department.
The bench, consisting of Justice Bela M Trivedi and Justice Satish Chandra Sharma, critiqued the state’s action as changing “the rules of the game after the game was played,” deeming it impermissible under the law. The apex court’s decision mandates the BTSC to adhere to a revised select list, which was formulated following an April 19, 2022, order from the Patna High Court.
This list should also include candidates who were initially deemed ineligible due to a 2017 amendment concerning the recognition of their educational institutes by the All India Council of Technical Education (AICTE). The Supreme Court has directed that the revised list of successful candidates be prepared within three months, with the state government required to complete the appointment process within 30 days thereafter.
The controversy stems from a High Court hearing on the validity of the Bihar Water Resources Department Subordinate Engineering (Civil) Cadre Recruitment (Amendment) Rules of 2017, which set the technical qualifications for candidates. Following the publication of the BTSC’s selection list in April 2022, the state government had convened a meeting leading to the annulment of the selection process. This move was initially upheld by the High Court, which closed pending cases related to the appointments.
