Great news! High Court Allows Filling of 1395 Panchayat Secretary Positions

In a significant development, the High Court of J&K and Ladakh has lifted the stay on the appointment of candidates for 1395 Panchayat Secretary posts by JKSSB across 19 districts of Jammu and Kashmir. This decision, made by Justice Wasim Sadiq Nargal’s bench, comes after counsel for respondents highlighted that the interim orders from June 16 and 24, 2022, were impeding the recruitment process, causing harm to potential employees and conflicting with public interest.

Several petitions were filed by Gram Rozgar Sahayaks/Sevaks (GRSs) fearing their absorption into the main J&K Rural Development (Subordinate) Service would be jeopardized by the JKSSB’s recruitment notification (no. 03 of 2022) for 1395 Panchayat Secretary posts.

The court noted the petitions’ attempt to halt the selection process and observed that the interim orders had effectively stalled the entire recruitment procedure, despite the department’s urgent need for staff.

The court emphasized the lack of merit in the petitioners’ challenge to the selection process, stating they lacked the standing to contest the recruitment, especially as there was no inherent right for their preferential consideration in regularization.

Considering the adverse impact of the interim orders on selected candidates awaiting appointment, the court decided to vacate the stay, directing the official respondents to expedite the selection process while subjecting the appointment of selected candidates to the final outcome of the petitions.

Overall, the court’s decision aims to remove obstacles hindering the recruitment process, acknowledging the pressing need for filling vacancies and considering the interests of both candidates and public service delivery.