UPSC restrained from selecting candidates from non-state civil

The Chandigarh bench of Central Administrative Tribunal (CAT) has restrained the UPSC from finalising the names proposed by the Haryana government to select non-state civil service officers to the IAS cadre.
The interim order of the Tribunal came after a petition filed by Sonepat resident Surender Singh Dahiya, 50, who is working as an additional director of the Haryana Agriculture Department.
The petitioner had sought quashing and setting aside recommendations of the screening committee of the state government which had recommended to the Union Public Service Commission five names to fill up an IAS seat among the non- state civil service officers.

The petitioner had claimed that one of the respondents Asha Sharma, a medical officer, who is the daughter of Haryana Education minister Ram Bilas Sharma, was allegedly not eligible for the IAS post, contending that she was considered "in spite of being ineligible and the applicant being more suitable and meritorious".
The petitioner had also claimed that she did not qualify the criteria of having "an outstanding record for the past five years" prior to the relevant year, as contemplated under Rule 4 of the Indian Administrative Serice (Appointment by Selection) Regulations, 1997 and other instructions.
"The UPSC is restrained from finalising the indicated final select list," the CAT order issued yesterday said.

The Chandigarh bench comprising Justice M S Sullar and P Gopinath also issued a notice of motion to the Haryana government, UPSC and Asha Sharma for December 20.