JUDGMENT

Mehta, J. - The respondents issued a recruitment notification dated 18.01.2020 inviting applications for recruitment to the post of Stenographer Grade-III (Hindi and English) in the Districts Courts and the District Legal Services Authorities. Reservations were provided for Divorcee category women in this recruitment process. The last date of submission of online application forms was 28.02.2020.

2. The petitioner claims that she was married to one Shri Vikash on 06.07.2018. However, the matrimonial relationship fell out and thus, a customary divorce took place in the Society Panchayat on 17.09.2018 and an agreement was executed on the very same day for terminating the relations between the spouses. An application under Section 13B of the Hindu Marriage Act was filed on 12.07.2019 but could not be posted for second motion because of some dispute. The decree of divorce was passed on 13.08.2020. The delay occurred on account of COVID pandemic and the lockdown imposed pursuant thereto. As the application under Section 13B of the Hindu Marriage Act had already been filed long before submitting the application form in the recruitment process, the petitioner applied in the categor