IN THE HIGH COURT OF PUNJAB AND HARYANA AT CHANDIGARH Date of Decision: 28.11.2025 Lalita …Petitioner Versus State of Haryana and another …Respondents CORAM: HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE JAGMOHAN BANSAL Present: - Mr. Manoj Tanwar, Advocate and Mr. Sanawar Ali, Advocate for the petitioner Mr. Ravi Partap Singh, Deputy Advocate General, Haryana ***

JAGMOHAN BANSAL, J. (Oral)

1. The petitioner through instant petition under Article 226 of the Constitution of India is seeking setting aside of order dated 20.02.2019 whereby her candidature for the post of Constable (General Duty) was rejected on the ground of height.

2. The petitioner, pursuant to Advertisement No.3 of 2018 dated 16.04.2018, applied for the post of Constable (Female). She cleared all the stages prescribed for the recruitment. She was called for Physical Measurement Test held on 20.02.2019. Her height was measured as 156.9 cm. The minimum height prescribed for female candidates in the advertisement was 158 cm. The petitioner was of the opinion that her height is more than 158 cm, thus, she preferred instant petition.

3. On 10.05.2019, this Court while issuing notice of motion passed the following order: -

“Learned counsel submits that the petitioner participated for the post of Female Constable (General Duty) under General category. The grievance of the petitioner before this Court is that she has secured 61.9 marks and the last candidate who has been selected has secured 58 marks. The petitioner has been disqualified on account of her height which has been measured at 156.9 cm.

Learned counsel has referred to report of two hospitals i.e. Annexure P-5 and P-6 whereby her height has been measured at above 158 cm, which is the required height for the post of Female Constable.

Notice of motion for 06.09.2019.

On asking of the Court, Ms. Palika Monga, DAG Haryana accepts notice on behalf of the State. Learned counsel for the petitioner shall supply copy of the petition to learned State counsel by today itself.

However, the petitioner will get her height measured from PGIMS, Chandigarh through sensor machine and PGIMS, Chandigarh shall send its report regarding the height of the petitioner before the next date of hearing.”

4. The height of the petitioner was remeasured by P.G.I.M.E.R, Chandigarh on 28.05.2019. It is apt to notice here that P.G.I.M.E.R, Chandigarh constituted a Board of three Doctors which measured height of the petitioner. Board of Doctors found petitioner’s height 158.1 cm. The report of medical board is reproduced as below: -

“Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research Chandigarh, 2019 Report of the Medical Board Reference:- Medical board constituted vide office order no. EV(9)PGI-MS/MA-63/2019 dated 21.05.2019 in pursuance of the orders received from Justice Ritu Bahri, Hon’ble Punjab and Haryana High Court, Chandigarh in CWP No. 6819 of 2019 titled as Lalita Vs. State of Haryana and anr.

The Medical Board comprised of Dr. Senthil Kumar, Asstt. Prof, Deptt. Of Forensic Medicine, PGIMER Chd (Chairperson), Dr. Tulika Gupta, Asstt. Prof, Deptt. Of Anatomy, PGIMER, Chd (Member); Dr. Uttam Saini, Asstt. Prof, Dept Of Orthopedics, PGIMER, Chd, (Member), Dr. Sandeep Singh Flora, S.M.O. Staff Clinic, PGIMER, Chandigarh, (Convener).

Meeting of the Medical Board was held on 28.05.2019 at 3.00 PM in the office of the chairperson.

Ms. Lalita appeared before the board.

After taking consent of the petitioner, her signature, passport size photographs, Left thumb impression and self-attested copy of photo identity cum residence proof, her height was measured by Stadiometer (with following specifications: Precision +/- 1mm, Make: Holtain Limited, Crymych, Dyfed, U.K.) located in the Growth Lab, Advanced Paediatric Centre, PGIMER in the presence of In-charge Growth lab Dr. A.K. Bhalla, Dept. of Paediatrics, PGIMER.

Two photographs of the petitioner Ms. Lalita taken during the process are enclosed along with signatures of the board members. Report of the height measurement Sd/-