MUZAFFARABAD (Kashmir English): The Division Bench of the Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) High Court on Thursday suspended all the challenged advertisements issued for recruitment in various government departments.
Giving a verdict on 34 writ petitions, a division bench comprising Acting Chief Justice Syed Shahid Bahar and Justice Muhammad Ejaz Khan has ordered the departments to issue new advertisements as per the prevailing rules.
The cases under hearing included the challenged advertisements of all other important departments, including Health, Education, Forests, Fisheries, Public Works and Highways, Electricity, Agriculture, Local Government, Information, and Law.
During the hearing, the Supreme Court expressed serious concern over the prevailing procedure of recruitment in the departments and remarked that the concerned departments do not take into account the rules and regulations while issuing advertisements.
The court said that in most of the advertisements, clear dates are not fixed for the receipt of applications, or very little time is given to the candidates to apply.
Due to this unprofessional approach, permanent ambiguity arises, and poor candidates from remote areas have to bear severe difficulties as well as unnecessary travel expenses.
The division bench further said in its remarks that unemployment has already become a very serious and sensitive issue in Azad Kashmir.
The judges made remarks that the court does not want to obstruct this recruitment process; however, steps taken outside the rules and regulations not only create serious legal complications but also cause unnecessary and long delays in the entire recruitment process.
The court made it clear that there will be no compromise on merit and the rule of law.
During the hearing, the High Court also expressed its strong displeasure over the fact that legal advisors of various government departments are continuously failing to file timely replies to admitted writ petitions.
Despite the issuance of stay orders in several important cases, the departments are continuously seeking more time from the court, due to which not only are the court proceedings badly affected, but also the time of the petitioners is wasted.
Challenged advertisements suspended
After a detailed hearing of the case and hearing the arguments of the parties, the Division Bench of the High Court issued a major order to suspend all the challenged government advertisements with immediate effect.
The High Court has issued strict instructions to all the concerned departments to re-issue new and revised advertisements as per the prevailing rules and regulations so that the entire process of recruitment to government jobs in Azad Kashmir can be completed completely transparently, fairly, and in accordance with the legal requirements.
