Hyderabad: The High Court on Friday inquired from the state government and the Telangana Public Service Commission (TSPSC) about the issuance of a new notification for Group-I recruitment, despite the court’s earlier directive for a re-examination.
Justice Pulla Karthik also asked for clarification regarding the increase in the reservation quota for Scheduled Tribes from 6% to 10% in this recruitment process.
The judge was addressing two petitions: one filed by Satta Shekhar, which challenges the TSPSC’s decision to cancel the April 2022 Group-I notification and questions the necessity of a new announcement, and another petition that contests the enhancement of ST reservations.
Senior counsel Jonnalagadda Sudheer, representing the petitioners, argued that the Telangana Public Service Commission (TSPSC) should limit the 503 vacancies specified in the initial notification dated April 26, 2022, to candidates who had applied and participated in the preliminary examination, which was later cancelled for various reasons.
Sudheer also contested TSPSC’s decision to add an additional 60 vacancies to the existing 503, stating that this would increase competition in the examination.
He requested that a separate notification be issued specifically to fill these new 60 vacancies.
Additionally, the senior counsel criticized the state government’s move to raise the reservation for Scheduled Tribes from 6% to 10%.
Special counsel S Rahul Reddy, representing the state government, informed the court that the Telangana Public Service Commission (TSPSC) is a constitutional body with the authority to cancel examinations, issue new notifications, and conduct exams.
Regarding the increase in Scheduled Tribe (ST) reservations, he stated that this aligns with government policy, arguing that adding 60 new vacancies in the recent notification would provide more opportunities for candidates.
The court has postponed the case for further hearing until September 30.
