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2026 Supreme(MP) 44

IN THE HIGH COURT OF MADHYA PRADESH AT GWALIOR
ANAND SINGH BAHRAWAT, J.
Narendra Singh Yadav – Appellant 
Versus
The State of Madhya Pradesh and Others – Respondents
Writ Petition No. 15760 of 2019
Decided On : 17-02-2026

Advocates Appeared:
For the Appellants : Prashant Sharma, Upendra Yadav
For the Respondents: Prabhat Pateriya, Parmal Singh Mehra

Headnote:

Constitution of India -- Art. 226 -- M.P. Special Armed Forces Rules, 1973 -- R. 22 -- writ jurisdiction -- recruitment for post of constable -- dispute over height of petitioner determined by State Medical Board upon discrepancy during selection process -- height found to be less than required for selection -- no mala fides alleged against expert committee -- power of judicial review is concerned with decision-making process and not with correctness of decision itself in matter of opinion of experts -- writ Court cannot substitute findings of expert -- no interference warranted. 2017 (4) MPLJ 353 and W.P. No. 12556 of 2024 decided on 21.10.2024 relied on. W.A. No. 1866 of 2018 decided on 20.3.2019 referred to. [Paras 5 & 9]

Òkjr dk lafoèkku & vuqPNsn 226 & e-ç- fo'ks"k l'kL= cy fu;e] 1973 & fu- 22 & fjV vfèkdkfjrk & dkWULVscy d¢ in d¢ fy, ÒrÊ & p;u çfØ;k d¢ n©jku folaxfr vkus ij ;kph dh yackà dk fookn jkT; fpfdRlk c¨MZ }kjk voèkkfjr fd;k x;k & p;u d¢ fy, visf{kr yackà ls de ikà xà & fo'ks"kK lfefr d¢ fo#) vln~Òko dk vfÒdFku ugÈ & fo'ks"kK¨a dh jk; d¢ ekeys esa U;kf;d iqufoZy¨du dh 'kfä dk lj¨dkj fofu'p;u çfØ;k ls gksrk gS] Lo;a fofu'p; ds vkSfpR; ls ugÈ & fjV U;k;ky; fo'ks"kK d¢ fu"d"kZ çfrLFkkfir ugÈ dj ldrk & gLr{ksi okafNr ugÈA 2017 ¼4½ ,eih,yts 353 rFkk fjV ;kfpdk Øekad 12556 lu~ 2024 fu.kÊr fnukad 21-10-2024 voyafcrA fjV vihy Øekad 1866 lu~ 2018 fu.kÊr fnukad 20-3-2019 fufnZ"VA ¼iSjk 5 ,oa 9½

ORDER :

1. This petition, under Article 226 of Constitution of India, has been filed seeking the following relief(s):

“(i) The order impugned annexure P/1 may kindly be quashed.

Any other relief which this Hon’ble Court deems fit in the facts and circumstances of the case may also kindly be granted.”

2. Learned counsel for the petitioner submits that petitioner was recruited on 21.10.2013 to the post of Constable (GD). Petitioner continued to discharge his duties. Thereafter, all of a sudden, the petitioner was directed to appear before the Medical Board again. On 23.11.2017, the Medical Board measured the petitioner’s height as 167 cm. Thereafter, respondents passed an order stating that since the height of petitioner was found to be 167 cm by the State Level Medical Board, he was declared unfit. It is further submitted that respondents themselves have mentioned that the Division Level Medical Board found the height of petitioner to be 167.5 cm and the District Medical Board found it to be 168 cm, whereas the GOP prescribes the requisite height as 167.64 cm. It is further submitted that prior to the termination of petitioner’s services under Rule 22 of the M.P. Special Armed Forces Rules, 1973, no show-cause notice was issued to petitioner and the impugned order was passed straightaway by the respondents. It is further submitted that in the year 2013, the prescribed procedure was duly followed and petitioner was found fit. In such circumstances, the impugned order dated 23.04.2019 (Annexure P/1) cannot be sustained in the eyes of law. It is further submitted that as per Rule 22 of the SAF Rules, 1973, petitioner satisfied the required qualifications in the year 2013 at the time of his appointment. It is further submitted that in 2013, all qualifications, including the prescribed height, were duly verified and two Medical Boards found the petitioner qualified in terms of height. It is further submitted that petitioner discharged his duties for six years. Without affording any opportunity of hearing, without issuing a show- cause notice, and without following the principles of natural justice, the services of petitioner could not have been terminated by the impugned order dated 23.04.2019 (Annexure P/1).

3. Per contra, learned counsel for the respondent/State submits that as per the statutory provisions, a candidate for the post of Constable must possess the requisite height of 5'6", i.e., 168 centimeters. In the State and Divisional Level Medical Board examinations, the petitioner was found unfit as he did not fulfill the basic physical measurement requirement as prescribed under Rule 22 of the Rules, 1973. It is further submitted that an identical issue has already been considered by the Division Bench of this Court vide order dated 20.03.2019 passed in W.A. No. 1866/2018 (State of Madhya Pradesh and others v. Sanjeev Singh) and as per the said order, petitioner is not entitled to any relief. It is further submitted that at the time of selection, petitioner submitted a certificate issued by the Medical Board, Shivpuri, wherein his height was recorded as 168 cm. Accordingly, the appointment order was issued to petitioner on 21.10.2018 and he joined training. However, upon a complaint, petitioner was re-examined by the Divisional Medical Board, wherein his height was found to be 165.50 cm. Thereafter, on request of petitioner, he was examined by the State Medical Board, which recorded his height as 167 cm. As such, he became disqualified under Rule 22 of the said Rules, 1973, and consequently, his appointment was cancelled vide the impugned order dated 23.04.2019 (Annexure P/1). It is further submitted that since the State Medical Board found the petitioner’s height to be 167 cm, he does not possess the basic qualification as required under Rule 22 of the SAF Rules, 1973. Such disqualification cannot be treated as qualification in the extraordinary writ jurisdiction of this Court under Article 226 of the Constitution of India. It is

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