KARACHI: The Sindh High Court has directed a district judge to collect the examination record of the candidates declared unsuccessful in the Combined Competitive Examination (CCE) by the Sindh Public Service Commission (SPSC).

A two-judge constitutional bench headed by Justice Muhammad Saleem Jessar noted that such a record is to be brought before the SHC for scrutiny.

The bench was hearing a set of identical petitions filed by various aspirants who had submitted that they had appeared in the CCE-2024 and the results were announced on May 6 by the SPSC, wherein only 70 candidates were declared successful.

The petitioners had also contended that they had secured high marks in the screening test and had appeared in written part of the exam and performed well, but under extraneous considerations, the commission only declared its blue-eyed candidates successful. Later, several candidates, declared successful in the CCE-2024, also approached the SHC to become interveners in these proceedings.

On May 14, the SHC suspended the results of CCE-2024 and ordered the sealing of the entire record of the examination and asked to produce it before the court.

At the outset of the hearing, two more successful candidates along with their counsel turned up and filed an application to join the proceedings and which was allowed after a provincial law officer as well as a lawyer for the SPSC extended no objection.

The bench in its order stated that these petitions were partly heard, but petitioners were claiming to be declared failed on frivolous grounds whereas respondents were contending that they had been declared unsuccessful on merit and therefore, question of tempering or any mala fide intent on the part of the commission was not warranted.

Since the controversy revolves around the result of CCE-2024 and written papers of the failures as well as the persons who have been declared successful, the bench also said, “We deem it appropriate that the written papers of the petitioners should be brought before this court for scrutiny”.

“Accordingly, district & sessions judge Hyderabad is directed to secure/collect the written papers of the petitioners from the Sindh Public Service Commission, Hyderabad, seal the same at the spot and produce it before this court on the next date through his representative. Upon production, the said written papers may be de-sealed in presence of the magistrate ought to be appointed by this court,” it added

Adjourning the hearing till June 30, the bench also directed the respondents as well as the advocate general Sindh to cooperate with the district judge for compliance of the order in letter and spirit.

Published in Dawn, June 24th, 2026