Photo used for indicative purpose only. Source internet
Shimla, Aug 19,
The Himachal Pradesh High Court has dismissed an appeal filed by Manoj Sharma, who had challenged the rejection of his claim for appointment to the post of Shastri under Post Code-813, ending a long-standing recruitment dispute.
A Division Bench comprising Chief Justice G.S. Sandhawalia and Justice Ranjan Sharma upheld the earlier judgment of a Single Judge, which had denied Sharma any relief. The court found no illegality in the recruitment process and ruled that no violation of constitutional principles had occurred.
Claim over Bharat Scouts & Guides certificate
Sharma’s main contention was that he was unfairly denied an additional mark for holding a Bharat Scouts & Guides certificate. He argued that this single mark would have raised his overall score above that of candidates selected from the waitlist, thereby securing him the job.
The appellant also alleged that the recruitment rules were altered midway, depriving him of the benefit of his certificate.
Court’s reasoning
The Bench, however, noted that the recruiting agency had applied uniform criteria to all candidates. It clarified that only specific certificates — Dwitya Sopan, Tritya Sopan, Rajya Puraskar, and Rashtrapati Puraskar — qualified for evaluation. Participation in single events, such as peace rallies, could not be treated at par with these achievements.
Referring to the Supreme Court’s ruling in Tej Prakash Pathak vs. Rajasthan High Court (2025), the judges reiterated that eligibility norms cannot be changed midway through a recruitment process unless existing rules specifically allow such changes.
Final verdict
The Division Bench held that the clarification issued in November 2021 regarding acceptable certificates was applied universally and did not amount to arbitrary action or discrimination.
Finding no violation of Article 14 of the Constitution, the High Court dismissed Sharma’s plea. With this decision, the Bench also rejected his claim for retrospective benefits such as seniority and pay scale.
About the Author
The HimachalScape Bureau comprises seasoned journalists from Himachal Pradesh with over 25 years of experience in leading media conglomerates such as The Times of India and United News of India. Known for their in-depth regional insights, the team brings credible, research-driven, and balanced reportage on Himachal’s socio-political and developmental landscape.
