LAHORE: The Lahore High Court has set aside a decision of Punjab Public Service Commission (PPSC) and once again remitted a matter of appointments in Excise & Taxation Department to it with a direction to redress the grievance of the candidates/petitioners and after ascertaining the merit of each of them.

Justice Sajid Mahmood Sethi passed the order allowing petitions of Asif Shabbir and others pleading that the PPSC declined their representations without deciding the question of the discrimination as directed by the court.

The judge observed that a fair opportunity of hearing was afforded to the petitioners by the respondent PPSC, however, the stance taken by it is self-conflicting.

He says on one hand, the commission is providing substitutes on requests being received by the department during 12 months from the date of final recommendations, however, the petitioners have been held disentitled on the ground that their request was not entertainable as fresh requisition was received one month after the final recommendations.

The judge noted that the law officer could not give any satisfactory answer when asked about this differential treatment.

Justice Sethi observed that the material aspects of the matter and applicable law have not been rightly appreciated by the PPSC while passing the impugned order.

Setting aside the impugned order for being illegal, the judge remanded the matter back to the PPSC with a direction to decide the same within 30 days after redressing the grievance of the petitioners and merit of each petitioner on individual basis.

Published in Dawn, April 2nd, 2023