Patna: In a major relief to long-disputed candidates, the Patna High Court on Thursday ordered the Bihar government to complete the reinstatement of 252 sub-inspector aspirants within six weeks.
The single bench of Justice Arvind Singh Chandel delivered the ruling in a 29-page order while hearing three petitions filed by the candidates. The case stems from recruitment exams held in 2008 for sub-inspector posts advertised in 2004.
The court noted that the petitioners had secured more marks than 133 other candidates who were reinstated following a Supreme Court order. It held that denying them the same treatment would violate the principle of equality, especially since appointments had continued as recently as 2023 and 2024.
The controversy began after errors were found in the model questions of the 2008 exam. Although an expert committee re-evaluated answer sheets and recommended changes, the state government retained 160 selected candidates. Litigation followed, and in subsequent rulings, the Supreme Court allowed a limited group of petitioners to reappear for tests. In 2018, the apex court ordered 133 of them to undergo only a medical fitness test, leading to their appointment.
The Patna High Court observed that the current petitioners, also covered under advertisement number 704/2004, had scored higher than those previously reinstated, making them equally entitled to appointment.
The Bihar Staff Selection Commission had initially advertised 1,510 sub-inspector posts in 2004, but the recruitment has remained mired in legal disputes for nearly two decades. The latest ruling is expected to finally pave the way for closure of the long-pending case.
