PESHAWAR: A single-member Peshawar High Court bench on Monday summoned the Federal Public Service Commission’s chairman over the commission’s repeated failure to produce the result of the Central Superior Services examination taken by a female candidate despite the court’s orders.

Chief Justice Qaiser Rashid Khan expressed displeasure at the FPSC over non-compliance with its orders and directed its chairman to show up along with the CSS exam results of Maria Yousaf on March 19, the next date fixed for hearing her appeal as well as a contempt of court petition.

During the last several hearings, the court had warned the FPSC that if it failed to provide the result of CSS written test to the appellant forthwith, a contempt proceedings would be initiated against the responsible officials.

The chief justice had ordered a deputy director of FPSC on Mar 8to produce the result of the appellant in a sealed envelope on the next date.

However, when the bench began hearing into the case on Monday, the official had not brought the result over which the chief justice reprimanded him and directed the chairman to appear before it in person.

Lawyer for the petitioner Saleem Shah Hoti contended that the FPSC chairman had committed a contempt of the court by not complying with its orders passed during different hearings. He also referred to an earlier order of the court wherein the FPSC chairman was directed to declare the CSS exam result of his client and provide the same to her.

The lawyer said his client had preferred an appeal under Section 7 of the Federal Public Service Commission Ordinance, 1977, challenging the Order of rejection of her candidature of CSS examination for the year 2020.

Advocate Saleem Shah said the appellant had sent her application to the commission on Nov 6, 2019, through Post office registry and the last date of submission of application was Nov 11, 2019.

He, however, said the candidature of his client was rejected on Jan 7, 2020, on the ground of being delayed for a single day.

The lawyer said the petitioner had submitted a representation to the FPSC against the said order but it was turned down. She then filed a review petition which was also not entertained.

He said the impugned rejection order was unreasonable as the application had been entertained and not returned which is violation Section 26 of General Clauses Act. The lawyer said the legitimate rights and interests of appellant were involved in the matter which was the foundation stone of her career and future.

He said the appellant had high hopes and expectations to compete in life but she had been dealt in such a harsh manner which not only subjected her to mental and physical agonies but the same was a stumbling block in her studies.

The lawyer said his client had been allowed to appear in written examination of CSS but the result was withheld without any reason and she had been refrained from interview (via vice) as well.

Published in Dawn, March 16th, 2021