FPJ Legal: High Court Judge Justice Purushaindra Kaurav recuses himself from MPPSC case

Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh): The High Court judge Justice Purushaindra Kaurav has recused himself from hearing Madhya Pradesh Public Service Commission (MPPSC-19) on Tuesday. Hearing was in the division bench of Chief Justice Ravi Malimath and Justice Purushaindra Kaurav. But on Tuesday, Justice Kaurav recused himself from hearing. Next hearing is on February 10.

High Court principal bench, Jabalpur, on February 4 had asked the state government as well as MPPSC to clarify their stand within two days on reservation norms in connection with MPPSC-2019 preliminary results.

The MPPSC, which had conducted exams for recruitment on 571 posts, had declared preliminary examination-2019 on the basis of 113% reservation, which was challenged in the High Court.

After the amended reservation, MPPSC had reserved 40% seats for general category so reservation went up to 113%. There is already a reservation of 27% for OBC, 16% for SC, 20% for ST and 10% for EWS category taking the total to 73%.

After preliminary examination results, 3,613 candidates were selected under unreserved category against 137 seats, which exceeded 2055 (15 times the seats).

Advocate Rameshwar Singh Thakur said Justice Purushaindra Kaurav withdrew himself from hearing. Government had released advertisements for MPPSC recruitment in 2019 on the basis of reservation rules, 2015. But the government made an amendment on February 17, 2020, and declared the results of the preliminary examination in December 2020. So the candidates challenged it in the High Court. State government made another amendment on December 22, 2021 but preliminary results are still on the basis of February 17, 2020 order.