AMIT PAL Vs. UNION PUBLIC SERVICE COMMISSION

JUDGEMENT

(1.) THE writ petitioner claims a direction for the quashing of the impugned order of the Central Administrative Tribunal (CAT) dated 21.11.2014 in O.A. No. 2740/2014. In his application, he claimed relief by way of a direction to the respondent to permit him to proceed further in the Civil Services Examination (hereafter referred to as "CSE -2014").

(2.) THE facts of this case throw into light exceptional and peculiar circumstances which are by and large uncontroverted. The advertisement inviting applications for CSE -2014 concededly mentioned that candidates could fill in e -forms and submit them online between 31.05.2014 and 30.06.2014 till 11.59 PM. The uniqueness of this exercise was that over a million candidates applied and were permitted to write the examination. The petitioner apparently, and unusually, filed the form a few hours before the date notified, i.e. 31.05.2014. He, in fact, submitted his online application on 30.05.2014, just six hours before the beginning of the time granted by the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC). In conformity with the terms and conditions governing such applications, the petitioner apparently filled both parts of the form; uploaded the relevant annexures, including his photograph, and; also submitted an online payment of Rs. 100/ - which was immediately debited from his bank account. The form was also apparently accepted online and acknowledged on 30.05.2014 itself, almost instantaneously, in the following terms:

(3.) AGGRIEVED , the petitioner approached the CAT. During the pendency of the proceedings before the CAT, the petitioner was allowed to appear in the preliminary test but his result was directed to be kept in a sealed cover. The CAT ultimately rejected his application by the impugned order, reasoning as follows: