SHIMLA: Himachal Pradesh High Court has rejected a petition filed by People for Responsible Governance, an NGO, demanding the implementation of video recordings for all selection processes, including tests and interviews, conducted by the H.P. Public Service Commission and other State Government recruitment agencies.
The Division Bench of Chief Justice of High Court Shri MS Ramachandra Rao and Shri Justice Ajay Mohan Goel passed the order to this effect on petition alleging unfair procedures in various recruitments by these agencies, citing instances of controversies surrounding their selection processes.
The petitioner sought the court's direction to frame rules and guidelines to ensure transparency through video recordings.
However, the State Government and the H.P. Public Service Commission opposed the plea, arguing that they are already following the notification issued on 17th April 2017, which eliminated the interview process for all Class-III and Class-IV posts. The Commission also raised concerns about the confidentiality of interactions between interview panels and candidates, stating that making the video content public would compromise the sanctity of the interview process and potentially lead to unnecessary litigation.
Considering the arguments presented by the respondents and the constitutional position of the H.P. Public Service Commission, the High Court concluded that no relief could be granted to the petitioner.
Thee court upheld the current practices followed by the recruitment agencies and dismissed the plea for video-recording selection processes.
This decision marks a significant development in the state's recruitment procedures, and it remains to be seen how the concerned agencies will continue to ensure fairness and transparency in future hiring processes.