Engagement of APTECH: HC’s division bench requests single bench to hear, decide case afresh

Srinagar, Mar 10: A division bench of the Jammu & Kashmir High Court on Friday requested the single bench to hear and decide afresh petition challenging engagement of Mumbai-based APTECH firm by Jammu & Kashmir administration for conducting job tests. It set aside the single bench order cancelling allotment of contract to the firm and maintained its interim directions shall remain in force.
The division comprising Justice Tabi Rabistan and Justice M.A Choudhary Friday remitted the writ petition back to the writ court for deciding the matter afresh.
“……Therefore, in view of what has been discussed above, we, without discussing the merits of the case, deem it proper to dispose of the appeals and remit the writ petition back to the Writ Court for deciding the matter afresh. Ordered accordingly. Accordingly, the order and judgment impugned is hereby set aside, the writ petition is restored to its original number and the writ petition is remitted back to the learned Single Judge with a request to decide the matter afresh. Writ respondents through their learned counsel are directed to file objections/counter to the writ petition within two weeks from today, thereafter, rejoinder, if any, to be filed within next one week. Registry is directed to list the writ petition before the learned Single Judge on 5th of April, 2023, when the learned Single Judge is requested to finally decide the writ petition. Till then interim direction dated 09.12.2022 shall remain in force,” reads the order.
In its interim directions on December 09, the DB had directed that Services Selection Board shall proceed with the selection process of Junior Engineer (Jal Shakti Department) and Sub-Inspector (Home Department), however, the result of the same shall await further orders from this Court. (KNO)