MUZAFFARABAD: The delay in the constitution of AJK’s Public Service Commission (PSC) is multiplying the frustration of thousands of candidates awaiting exams for the posts they have applied for.

In September last year, a four-member bench of the AJK High Court had set aside appointments of the PSC chairman and nine members, after declaring the AJK PSC (Amendment) Ordinance, 2012 ultra-vires the Interim Constitution and the original AJK PSC Act 1986.

The bench had directed the government to amend the AJK PSC Act 1986 through legislation and provide qualifications for its chairman as well as members.

The aggrieved PSC chairman and members got interim relief from the AJK Supreme Court, but the apex court formulated four points and remanded the case to the High Court for decision within two weeks.

In September last year, the full court of the High Court upheld its earlier judgment, which, after being challenged, was also endorsed by the Supreme Court on February 13, 2014.

The apex court had directed the government to bring suitable amendment to the PSC Act 1986, providing similar qualifications for the members as in the FPSC and Punjab PSC.

However, despite passing of more than two months, the government has not been able to carry out requisite legislation in accordance with the court decisions and appoint PSC chairman and members.

“The PSC is a constitutional body and there is no reason that its reorganisation should take so long. But thanks to the government’s slackness, the body has yet to see the light of day,” a senior official in the Civil Secretariat told Dawn.

“At the moment, 15,000 eligible candidates, who have applied for some 596 posts, are waiting for their relevant exams which cannot be conducted unless the PSC gets its chairman and members,” a commission official told Dawn here on Friday.

“Almost daily we receive frantic calls at our fixed line phones and personal cellphones from candidates, impatient to know about the status of the appointment of PSC members and exams,” he added.

An official source told Dawn that the law department had prepared an ordinance in accordance with the rulings of superior courts which was submitted to the government about a week ago for further process.

“The cabinet is required to give approval for its promulgation by the president in the beginning and enactment from the Legislative Assembly afterwards,” the source said.It may be relevant to mention here that the AJK apex court had also ruled that the president was not empowered to re-promulgate an ordinance after the expiry of its 120 days life and the same has to be laid before the assembly within that period.

When contacted AJK Minister for Information Syed Bazil Ali Naqvi said the government had initiated ‘consultation process’ for appointment of PSC chairman and members, and the institution would be made functional within two weeks.

When asked if the government would ensure that people with visible political leanings were not appointed in the PSC, the minister retorted: “The judges of high and supreme courts did have political affiliations before entering upon the bench. Similarly, a PSC member may also have political leaning, but that should not amount to his disqualification.”

“Those appointed earlier (as PSC members) were also eligible persons and fresh appointees too will be competent,” he added.