IN THE HIGH COURT OF PUNJAB AND HARYANA AT CHANDIGARH

247 Decided On: 08.10.2025

1. CWP-12706-2023 SEEMA RANI AND OTHERS ....PETITIONER(s)

Versus STATE OF HARYANA AND OTHERS ....RESPONDENT(s)

2. CWP-14856-2023 VERSHA AND OTHERS ....PETITIONER(s)

Versus STATE OF HARYANA AND OTHERS ....RESPONDENT(s)

3. CWP-14231-2023 SUMAN BALA AND OTHERS ....PETITIONER(s)

Versus STATE OF HARYANA AND OTHERS ....RESPONDENT(s)

4. CWP-15027-2023 SUMAN LATA AND OTHERS ....PETITIONER(s)

Versus STATE OF HARYANA AND OTHERS ....RESPONDENT(s)

5. CWP-19683-2023 SUKHVINDER SINGH AND OTHERS ....PETITIONER(s)

Versus STATE OF HARYANA AND OTHERS ....RESPONDENT(s)

RAJESH KUMAR AND OTHERS ....PETITIONER(s)

Versus STATE OF HARYANA AND OTHERS ....RESPONDENT(s)

7. CWP-29392-2023 KRISHAN KUMAR AND OTHERS ....PETITIONER(s)

Versus STATE OF HARYANA AND OTHERS ....RESPONDENT(s)

8. CWP-21117-2025 SURJEET KAUR AND OTHERS ....PETITIONER(s)

Versus STATE OF HARYANA AND OTHERS ....RESPONDENT(s)

CORAM: HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE TRIBHUVAN DAHIYA Present: Mr. Ravinder Malik (Ravi), Advocate; and Mr. R. S. Dhull, Advocate for the petitioner(s).

Ms. Tanushree Gupta, Senior Deputy Advocate General, Haryana.

TRIBHUVAN DAHIYA J.(Oral)

The aforementioned petitions are based upon similar facts involving common issues; accordingly, the same are being decided together.

2. Learned counsel for the petitioner(s) have confined the prayer only to seeking a direction to the respondents to give thirty-three per cent reservation to women candidates for the posts of Art and Craft Teacher against advertisement 06 of 2006, dated 20.07.2006, and revise the result accordingly.

3. Also, learned counsel for the petitioner in CWP-12706-2023 has made a statement not to press the petition on behalf of petitioner no.2, since she has already been selected for the post in question.

4. Accordingly, the petition qua petitioner no.2 in CWP-12706-

2023 stands dismissed as not pressed.

5. As per the facts apparent on record, the third respondent/Haryana Staff Selection Commission issued the aforementioned advertisement, dated 20.07.2006, inviting applications for 816 posts of Art and Craft Teacher in different categories, General 387, SC-A 82, SC-B 82, BC-A 131, BC-B 88, ESM (Gen) 29, ESM (SC-A) 1, ESM (SC-B) 1, ESM (BC-A) 3, ESM (BC-B) 3, Outstanding Sportsperson (Gen) 4, Outstanding Sportsperson (SC-A) 1, Outstanding Sportsperson (SC-B) 1, Outstanding Sportsperson (BC-A) 2, Outstanding Sportsperson (BC-B) 1.

Note 2 in the advertisement prescribed as under:

Note 2 In all the above mentioned categories, 33% posts shall be reserved for women and 50% shall be reserved for rural youths, who have acquired matriculation qualification from a school situated in a rural area of Haryana. These reservations shall be horizontal. The candidates who have passed Matriculation examination from the schools situated in the following Urban Areas shall not be considered under the category of rural youths.

5.1. This note was challenged by the candidates before this Court by filing CWP-13887-2006 titled Mahender Kumar and others v. State of Haryana and others, which was disposed of by setting aside the reservation for rural youth, and upholding the reservation for women, with the following observations:

The writ petition is, therefore, disposed of by striking down provision for reserving 50% seats for youths, who had acquired matriculation qualification from a school situated in a rural area of Haryana. However, the reservation of 33% posts for women and the said reservation, being horizontal in nature, is upheld.

The respondents are directed to proceed with the selection process by considering those candidates who had applied in the category of rural youths, in the general/open category unless such like candidates are eligible to the benefits of any other reservation. Further, while reserving 33% of seats for women, the said reservation shall operate horizontally so that the total reservation does not exceed 50%.

5.2. Pursuant thereto, the selection process started. Clo