SC Orders to Halt PSC Results

The Supreme Court on Tuesday issued an order to government authorities, including the Public Service Commission (PSC), not to publish the result of gazetted officers' examination held in February.The PSC is going to fulfil the vacant posts of joint secretaries and under secretaries through an open competition as announced in October.A division bench of Justices Bal Ram KC and Gauri Dhakal issued the order directing the authorities -- the Prime Minister's Office and Cabinet; the Ministry of Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs; the Ministry of General Administration; and the PSC -- to conduct examination allocating reservation seats for women and announce the result of both the vacancies.The bench directed to allocate vacancies under reservation seats for women and publish the result at the same time.The bench was acting in a writ petition filed by some government officials, including Undersecretary at the Ministry of Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs, Leela Gadtaula. The petitioners challenged the PSC vacancy violated the rights of women who are supposed to get 33 per cent reservation seats as per Civil Service Act 2007.Some women officers had challenged the PSC vacancy announced on October. The PSC has been conducting exams for the first class and second class gazetted officers in government services.