SRINAGAR: The Central Administrative Tribunal (CAT), Srinagar Bench, has ruled that category certificates obtained after the prescribed cut-off date cannot be considered for appointment to advertised posts, observing that such consideration would amount to changing the terms of the advertisement after the selection process.
The Division Bench comprising Member (Judicial) Ritu Tagore and Member (Administrative) Prasant Kumar delivered the ruling while dismissing a plea filed by a candidate seeking consideration under the Reserved Backward Area (RBA) category for the post of Theatre Assistant.
The petitioner had challenged the appointment process, claiming he had secured higher merit but was denied selection under the RBA category because his certificate had been issued after the notified cut-off date.
Rejecting the plea, the Tribunal observed that allowing reliance on a certificate obtained after the deadline would amount to “rewriting the terms of the advertisement” and granting unfair advantage to one candidate over others who had complied with the eligibility conditions within the stipulated time.
The CAT further held that the petitioner neither possessed a valid RBA certificate on the cut-off date nor challenged the rejection of his candidature in time, instead approaching the Tribunal after a delay of six months.
The Bench concluded that there was no illegality in the action of the authorities and declined to interfere with the selection and appointment process. -(KNC)
