Rajasthan High Court cancels 2021 SI recruitment over paper leak allegations

Jodhpur (Rajasthan) [India], August 28 (ANI): The Rajasthan High Court on Thursday cancelled the 2021 Sub-Inspector (SI) recruitment process following allegations of widespread paper leaks and collusion.
The verdict was delivered by Justice Sameer Jain. The court had reserved its order on August 14 after hearing arguments from all parties concerned.
Petitions seeking the cancellation of the recruitment process were filed nearly a year ago, on August 13, 2024. During the hearings, the state government clarified that it did not intend to cancel the recruitment, a stand also supported by the selected candidates who opposed the move.

Reacting to the court's order, petitioner Harendar Neel said, "The court observed that the exam paper was leaked on WhatsApp, social media, and even involved the Bluetooth gang. The court noted that continuing the recruitment would be unfortunate. This is a historic verdict, and I believe it will stand as a landmark decision."

Advocate OP Solanki also welcomed the decision, saying, "This is a historic decision. The people of Rajasthan now understand what constitutes a good verdict and true justice. Though it took four years, this is an excellent judgment, and we are all very happy."

Rajasthan Minister Kirodi Lal Meena attributed the delay in justice to the previous Congress government led by Ashok Gehlot, stating, "The previous government is responsible for the delayed exams, which wasted two years of students' lives. Despite evidence of the paper leak being submitted to the SOG and the government, as well as protests by candidates, the exam was not cancelled earlier. Today's verdict is a triumph of truth and the struggle of the youth. It stands in favour of the unemployed youth of Rajasthan."

Firoz, a student from Chittorgarh, termed the verdict as historic. "This is a historic day for students, especially those who struggled in 2021 and took their exams without cheating. It marks a significant moment for those who pinned their hopes on lawyers, the Supreme Court, and High Court. Their prolonged struggle is finally deemed successful," he said. (ANI)