The High Court of HP has dismissed a petition seeking directions to H.P. Public Service Commission, and other recruitment agencies/departments of State Government, to frame rules/ guidelines for conducting the video-recordings of all the selection processes consisting of test and interview.

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      IBEX NEWS,shimla.

      The High Court of Himachal Pradesh has dismissed a petition seeking directions to H.P. Public Service Commission, and other recruitment agencies/departments of State Government, to frame rules/ guidelines for conducting the video-recordings of all the selection processes consisting of test and interview.

A Division Bench, comprising the Chief Justice M.S. Ramachandra Rao and Justice Ajay Mohan Goel, passed this order on a petition filed an NGO People for Responsible Governance.

According to the petitioner, there are allegations regarding unfairness of procedure in selection process by various recruitment agencies/departments.Petitioner gave some instances where controversies surrounded recruitments made by Public Service Commissions, Subordinate Service Selection Board and other recruitment agencies. The petitioner sought directions to the respondents to frame rules/guidelines for conducting the video-recordings of all the selection processes consisting of test and interview.

The State Government in its reply submitted that the call is required to be taken by the agencies at their own end; and the Public Service Commission, which is a Constitutional body, knows its responsibility more than anybody else and such a call, if any, as far as practicable, is required to be taken by it.

The H.P. Public Service Commission contended that it has framed its own rule of business and selections are being made on the basis of recruitment rules of concerned departments. H.P University, Shimla, Krishi Vishvavidyalaya, Palampur and Y.S Parmar University, Nauni, contended that the selection process for various posts is fair and transparent and purely on the basis of prescribed procedure and the selection process.

The respondents submitted that video recording is being done at the time of conduct of written test for selection to various posts, but as regards interviews are concerned, H.P. Public Service Commission raised certain objections and Court found some of these objections valid. One such objection is that interaction/discussions between the interview panel and the candidate are confidential in nature; and the videography of the content of the interview and putting it in public domain would amount to compromising the sanctity of the interview process, which would lead to avoidable multiplicity of litigation.

Taking into consideration the concerns expressed by the State Public Service Commission, and also having regard to the constitutional position enjoyed by it, the Court held that no relief can be granted at the instance of the petitioner. Moreover, all the respondents have submitted that they are following notification dated 17th April, 2017, issued by the State Government, whereby the practice of interview in the selection process for all Class-III and Class-IV posts has been dispensed with.

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