Telangana High Court postpones Group-1 appointments verdict to February 5

Hyderabad: The Telangana High Court on Thursday postponed the Group-1 appointments verdict and said it would pronounce the final judgment on February 5.

A Division Bench informed lawyers that the judgment copy in the case was not yet ready. As a result, the court decided to postpone the pronouncement of the Group-1 appointments verdict to next month.

Several candidates had earlier approached the High Court alleging serious lapses in the Group-1 recruitment process. They alleged irregularities in the conduct of the examination, evaluation of answer scripts, and implementation of biometric norms.

After hearing the petitions, a Single Bench cancelled the Group-1 results in a significant ruling. The court also directed authorities to re-evaluate answer papers or conduct the examination afresh if required. It simultaneously imposed a stay on all appointments arising from the selection.

Group-1 appointments verdict under appeal before Division Bench

Challenging the Single Bench order, the Telangana Public Service Commission (TGPSC) and selected candidates filed appeals before a Division Bench.

During the appeal hearing, the Chief Justice-led Bench lifted the stay on appointments and issued interim orders. Following this relief, the state government moved quickly and issued appointment letters to 562 selected candidates.

However, the court clarified that these appointments would remain subject to the Group-1 appointments verdict. The Bench also stated that the interim appointments would not create any equity in favour of the selected candidates.

The verdict scheduled for February 5 will determine whether the appointments of candidates who have already joined service will continue. The court is also expected to consider allegations related to evaluation procedures and biometric-linked OMR sheets.

The outcome of the Group-1 appointments verdict will directly affect the future of the 562 candidates appointed under the interim orders.