CENTRAL ADMINISTRATIVE TRIBUNAL CHANDIGARH BENCH OA 60/1378/2022 Reserved on: 08.12.2025 Pronounced on:

HON’BLE SH. SURESH KUMAR BATRA MEMBER (J)

HON’BLE MRS. RASHMI SAXENA SAHNI, MEMBER (A) Sarabjeet Kaur, aged about 28 years, C/o Gurmeet Singh, D/o Santokh Singh, R/o Majra, Rupnagar, Punjab – 140123;

Aadhaar Card No: 2962 6994 8162, Phone No.: 9478824659 …Applicant (BY ADVOCATE: MS. DILMRIG NAYANI)

VERSUS

1. Union of India Ministry of Communications, Government of India through Secretary-cum-Director General Post, Dak Bhawan, New Delhi – 110001.

2. Director Postal Services, Punjab Postal Circle, Sandesh Bhawan, 17E, Sector 17, Chandigarh – 160017.

3. Chief Postmaster General, Punjab Circle, Sandesh Bhawan, 17E, Sector 17, Chandigarh – 160017.

4. Superintendent Posts, Sector 9-D, Chandigarh – 160009.

…..Respondents (BY ADVOCATE: SH. SANJAY GOYAL SENIOR CGSC)

O R D E R(Oral)

Per: RASHMI SAXENA SAHNI MEMBER (A)

1. This OA has been filed under Section 19 of the Administrative Tribunals Act, 1985 seeking the following relief:

i) Annexure A-1 dated 21.10.2022 communicating the rejection of the Applicant’s candidature be quashed being arbitrary, and in complete violation of the principles of natural justice;

ii) The Representation (Annexure A-7) of the Applicant be decided and her Application for the post of GDS be considered;

2. Briefly stated facts of the case as stated by applicant are as follows:

i) The applicant applied for engagement of GDS in Punjab Circle in the year 2022 and filled up her online examination form on the Indian Post Portal. The applicant belongs to a reserved category (PWD-C). From June 2022-October 2022, supplementary list was notified from time to time for selection of candidates for Cycle IV of the Punjab Circle Rounds.

ii) On 18.10.2022, supplementary list VI of the Punjab Circle was released and the name of applicant belonging to PWD-C category was at Serial No. 18. The short listed candidates were called for Document Verification and the applicant was allotted the Chandigarh Division and had to get the documents verified from SSP (Respondent No. 4) before 03.11.2022.

iii) Accordingly, the applicant visited the office of Respondent No. 4 with all her documents and was verbally told that her application would be rejected on the ground that there was discrepancy in some grades pertaining to extra subjects. It is imperative to mention that position in the merit list is determined only on the basis of marks scored in the compulsory and elective subjects in 10^th standard from a recognised Board, as mentioned in the official notification.

iv) Thereafter on 21.10.2022 (Annexure A-1), the applicant received an email conveying that her documents could not be properly verified and thus, her candidature has been cancelled. On 09.11.2022, the next supplementary list (List VII) was also issued by the respondents, confirming that the verification and selection process qua list VI stands concluded. On 28.11.2022, the applicant sent a representation to the respondents praying for consideration of her application as she was eligible as per calculated percentage and eligibility criteria. However, she did not receive any response.

v) The applicant vide the instant OA has challenged the impugned communication through email received on 21.10.2022 (Annexure A-1), whereby, her application has been cancelled. According to the applicant, the impugned email does not mention any reason for cancellation of candidature of applicant, hence the impugned intimation given to the applicant cannot be said to be valid and effective and severely suffers from the vice of arbitrariness and irrationality. According to applicant, natural justice demands that the applicant should have been given an opportunity of being heard and the order passed must be reasoned one. However, none of the principles of natural justice have been followed, which has resulted in arbitrariness and injustice.

vi) The applicant’s overall percentage of 75.07 is calculated on the basis m