Delhi High Court Grants Extension, Orders Daily Hearings In Haryana Civil Services Paper Leak Case

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The Delhi High Court has extended the deadline for concluding the paper leak case of the Haryana Civil Services (Judicial Branch) Preliminary Examination, 2017, granting an additional three months to reach a resolution. The court has also instructed that the case be heard on a daily basis to expedite proceedings.

Earlier, in January of this year, the Delhi High Court had directed the District and Sessions Court Rouse Avenue to conduct day-to-day hearings and conclude the case within three months, by April 15, 2024. However, the District Court was unable to meet this deadline and sent a request letter to the Registrar General of the Delhi High Court, citing the voluminous nature of the case records and seeking a six-month extension to deliberate on the matter.

Advocates Charanjit Singh Bakshi and Amit Sahni, representing the Union Territory of Chandigarh, expressed concern that despite the High Court’s directives, the case had not been expedited as required. They urged the court to instruct the trial court to prioritize daily hearings.

In response, the High Court has granted an additional three months for the trial court to reach a conclusion, excluding the summer vacation period. Emphasizing the gravity of the matter, which pertains to the leakage of judicial examination question papers, the High Court underscored the need for expeditious proceedings. The case was initially transferred from Chandigarh to Delhi based on an order from the Supreme Court.

The FIR in this case was lodged by the Punjab and Haryana High Court following a petition filed in 2017 by Suman, a candidate affected by the alleged paper leak. Subsequently, the Supreme Court transferred the case to Delhi on February 5, 2021.

This case involves a total of nine accused, including Registrar Recruitment, in connection with the leak of the Haryana Civil Services (Judicial Branch) Preliminary Examination, 2017. With the High Court’s renewed emphasis on daily hearings and an extended timeline, it is anticipated that the trial court will expedite proceedings and reach a resolution in this significant matter.

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Srishti Verma