KARACHI: After finding irregularities, the Sindh High Court has directed the Sindh Public Service Commission (SPSC) to conduct its Combined Competitive Examination (CCE) 2020 again within two months.

The SHC said that the exam would be held under the supervision of the official assignee and additional registrars of the court.

A two-judge bench headed by Justice Mohammad Iqbal Kalhoro observed that the entire result of CCE-2020 based on tampered answer sheets had polluted the required standards of transparency, thus the exams needed to be held again in a transparent manner.

The bench made these directives while disposing of a petition filed in 2019.

It noted that after going through the references of the official assignee, inquiry report, and recommendation of the SPSC chairman, it was not inclined to agree with the action suggested by the chairman as the tempering of the answer sheets spoiled the whole transparency that a public body must adhere to when undertaking such a process.

The bench deplored that despite earlier orders of SHC the exam had not been conducted and now those officials, prima facie, were guilty of misconduct, had also exposed themselves to contempt proceedings by wilfully defying.

“Prima facie, the SPSC has not improved its image which is a matter of record, and many strictures have been passed by judicial forums,” it added.

“In view of the above facts and circumstances of the case, we stay off our hands for the time being to see what departmental action the Sindh Government/competent authority is taking against the delinquent officials/officers in the first instance, where after on examining the proposed penalties, we will further pass appropriate orders. The proposed departmental proceedings shall be conducted within two months. The compliance report shall be submitted on or before the next date. The SPSC is directed to conduct the exams CCE-2020 afresh within two months,” the bench ruled in its order.

The officials assignee submitted in his report that he noticed certain discrepancies in the process as concerned officials of the SPSC in his absence decoded the answer sheets which were sealed with mala fide intentions to manipulate the numbers in the copies that were purportedly sent to the examiners for giving marks to ensure that they get higher marks for selection.

He noted that such exercise on part of SPSC officials was so arbitrary and dubious for the reason that one candidate was awarded 98 additional marks and one candidate was given 78 marks and many others were given 40 additional marks.

He stated that examination copies, answer sheets as well as other pages of the sheets clearly show tampering in the marks. He pointed out that the record of CCE-2020 had been tempered in a calculated manner by the officials of the SPSC and this required a through probe.

He further said that there were manipulation of the examination record of CCE-2020 and officials of SPSC has misused their power and authority to extend favours to failed candidates by tampering the answer sheets.

Published in Dawn, March 6th, 2023