CAT to hear aurguments on petition against UPSC on Nov 7

Chandigarh, Oct 10 (UNI) The Central Administrative Tribunal (CAT) has fixed November 7 for arguments on a petition filed by IAS aspirant Bikaramjit Inder Singh Chahal against the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) seeking revaluation of his performance in last year's Mains.

The case was heard by the Chandigarh bench of CAT comprising Justice L M Mittal and Justice Jasbir Singh Dhaliwal.

Mr Chahal, son of the Punjab Chief Minister's Media Advisor B I S Chahal, has alleged in his petition that UPSC Chairman Gurbachan Jagat had a personal grudge against his father, which prompted him to act in a biased manner.

The petitioner contended that his father Mr B I S Chahal was Joint Director (Press) attached with the then Punjab DGP K P S Gill and enjoyed his confidence. Mr Gurbachan Jagat had approached his father for a good posting in Punjab police. He harboured the grudge that Mr B I S Chahal had then persuaded Mr Gill not to give good posting to him.

Bikramjit claimed that there was a difference in marks given on his mark sheet and that on the answer books. He also contended that even though he had qualified in the Civil Services (Main) Examination, he was not called for an interview.

The respondents, the Union Government and the UPSC Chairman today filed replies to the petition in an affidavit submitted by R N Juneja, an under-secretary in UPSC. The UPSC had earlier submitted original answer books of Mr Chahal in a sealed envelope.

Senior advocates Rajiv Atma Ram and J S Sidhu who appeared before the bench on behalf of the applicant had pleaded that directions be issued to the UPSC not to destroy the answer books of other candidates who had appeared in Civil Service (main) examination in 2005.

The bench said that there was no need to pass an order as it is an accepted practice that once the case is sub judice the documents related to it are kept intact. Justice Mittal also said that respondents counsel present in the court would ensure that answer sheets of other candidates may not be destroyed.

Satya Pal Jain, former BJP MP and counsel for the UPSC told the court that difference of marks was due to moderation of marks of all candidates.

UNI XC PS PR HS1933