SC sets aside cancellation of PPSC appointments

New Delhi, May 3 : The Supreme Court today set aside a Punjab and Haryana High Court judgement, cancelling all appointments made by Punjab Public Service Commission (PPSC) during the tenure of its chairman Ravinder Pal Singh Sidhu.

A bench comprising Justice S B Sinha and Justice Dalveer Bhandari referred the matter back to the High Court directing it to appoint two separate committees, one to eaxmine the executive action and the other to examine the judicial aspect of the controversy.

The court directed the High Court to decide the matter afresh after receiving the reports of the two committees.

Sidhu was appointed PPSC chairman during the tenure of former chief minister Parkash Singh Badal. Sidhu had made over 3,000 appointments during 1997-2002.

He was removed from the post of PPSC chairman after the scandal came to light and it was found that he had made these appointments in gross violation of the PPSC rules and law by taking bribe.

Sidhu was arrested and later released on bail. Huge sum of money was recovered from his possession during raids along with lot of incriminating documents.

Today's judgment came on a bunch of petitions filed by Inderjit Singh Kahlon and others, whose appointments were also cancelled by the impugned High Court judgement of May 2003.

UNI