HYDERABAD: The Telangana High Court has put an interim stay on a single judge’s order that had quashed the Group-II appointments of 14 candidates over allegations of OMR sheet tampering, providing temporary relief to the selected officials.
A division bench, comprising Chief Justice Aparesh Kumar Singh and Justice GM Mohiuddin, stayed the order passed by Justice Nagesh Bheemapaka, who on November 8 had set aside the appointments after finding irregularities in the OMR sheets of 14 candidates.
The petitioners had argued that the Telangana Public Service Commission (TGPSC) had called certain candidates for interviews and appointed them despite alleged scratching, tampering and use of whiteners in their Part-B sheets.
HC seeks detailed examination
Among those affected were Kraanthi Kumar Maddhi and P Anjaneyulu, both working as deputy tahsildars in Rajendranagar and Medchal.
The single judge had found that 14 candidates had scratched, tampered with or erased parts of their Part-B OMR sheets, and used whiteners.
He ruled their selection illegal and violative of Articles 14 and 16, set aside their appointments and told the Commission to redraw the provisional list by removing the disqualified candidates and adding the petitioners on merit within four weeks.
He had also directed the Commission to ensure more transparency in future recruitments.
Challenging this decision, Kraanthi Kumar Maddhi and another candidate filed writ appeals. After hearing initial arguments, the Bench said the case needs detailed examination and posted it after six weeks.