SC rejects plea against HC order quashing UPPSC chairperson’s appointment

Chairman of the Uttar Pradesh Public Service Commission Anil Kumar Yadav, whose appointment was held as “illegal” by the Allahabad high court, failed to get a relief on Friday, with the Supreme Court dismissing his appeal against the verdict.

A Bench of justices TS Thakur and V Gopala Gowda upheld the High Court’s order, saying that the prescribed procedures have not been followed in his appointment.

Terming the post as “constitutional”, the court said it was not a political appointment and the government should have followed the due process while scrutinising over 80 applications and finalising the name for the post of the Chairperson of Uttar Pradesh Public Service Commission (UPPSC).

Earlier, the High Court had quashed Yadav’s appointment as “illegal” and had rapped the Samajwadi Party government for having “breached its constitutional duty” by appointing him without carrying out a proper inquiry with regard to his “integrity and competence”.

It had passed the order on a petition filed by advocate Satish Kumar Singh and several others.

It was alleged that Yadav’s appointment was made after ignoring facts that he was named in cases under Section 307 of the Indian Penal Code (attempt to murder) and the Goonda Act registered in his native district of Agra.