Group-1 case: HC suspends single judge order

Hyderabad: In a big relief to the selected candidates of Group-1, the Telangana High Court on Wednesday passed an interim direction suspending the single judge order which had set aside the final marks list and the general ranking list and ordered for re-evaluation of the answer scripts of the candidates of Group-I main exam.

A bench of Chief Justice Aparesh Kumar Singh and Justice GM Mohiuddin passed the interim order after hearing appeal petitions filed by the Telangana State Public Service Commission (TGPSC) and some of the ‘successful candidates’ of the Group-I main exam.

The counsels for the candidates - who filed writ petitions seeking to cancel Group-I exam and secured the single judge order setting aside the marks list - requested the bench to order for status quo.

However, the bench led by the CJ declined to consider their pleas and said the appointments and decisions of the TGPSC relating to Group-I exam would be subject to the ‘final outcome’ of the appeal petitions. While Advocate General A Sudarshan Reddy and senior counsel D Prakash Reddy appeared for the appellants, senior counsel Rachna Reddy presented arguments on behalf of the petitioners who sought cancellation of the exam.

After hearing arguments of the counsels of both sides, the bench directed all of them to file written submissions by October 10. The matter was posted to October 15 for detailed hearing.