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LPA-877-2026 (O&M)

IN THE HIGH COURT OF PUNJAB & HARYANA AT CHANDIGARH

146 LPA-877-2026 (O&M)

Date of Decision: 30.03.2026

Tejpal Singh ......Appellant Versus

State of Punjab and another ......Respondents

CORAM: HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE ANOOP CHITKARA HON’BLE MRS. JUSTICE SUKHVINDER KAUR

Present: Mr. Mandeep Kumar Dhot, Advocate for the appellant.

Ms. Pooja Nayar Sharma, D.A.G., Punjab.

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ANOOP CHITKARA J.

1. Challenging the order dated 27.03.2026 passed by the Single Judge of this Court in CWP- 1755-2026, whereby the writ petition filed by the petitioner to allow him to appear in examinations as a Special Category candidate was dismissed, the appellant has come up before

this Court by filing the present Letters Patent Appeal.

2. Ld. Counsel for the appellant submits that the appellant is a “Specially abled person” and has 100% visual impairment (blind). Counsel further submits that the appellant has applied for the post with the Punjab State Civil Services Combined Competitive Examination, 2025, and filled the form through a cybercafé. He instructed the computer operator to enter his category as “Physically handicapped Category”, however, the computer operator filled in the form as a candidate in the General Category. Pursuant to the examination conducted, the petitioner scored 60 marks in the preliminary examination; he was declared ineligible for appearance in the main examination in the General Category. However, he relates to the category from General (71) to a person with Disabilities (Blind and Low Vision) (76-A), and he is eligible to appear in the Main Examination, as candidates who secured 40 marks were declared successful and eligible

for the Main Examination.

3. Ld. Counsel for the appellant further submits that the learned Single Bench fell into error while considering the facts of the case and argued that the petitioner is 100% specially abled person and his disability certificate dated 01.01.2021, duly annexed by him in the writ petition, at Annexure P-2, which was issued by him prior to the advertisement issued by the Punjab Public Service Commission. Ld. Counsel additionally submits that the petitioner was duly

(cid:1) (cid:2)(cid:1)

ANJU RANI

2026.04.06 16:54 I attest to the accuracy and integrity of this document Punjab and Haryana High Court Chandigarh

LPA-877-2026 (O&M)

provided with a scribe for the writing examination and Annexure P4-Admit Card issued to him. From the very initiation of the process, the petitioner was a candidate of the reserved category. Ld. Counsel for the appellant also submits that the appellant filed a representation for a change

of category, which was rejected by the authority without proper consideration.

4. We have gone through the record and perused the reply dated 12.03.2026, which is part of the judicial file, and the same reads as follows: -

“4. That it is imperative to mention here that the petitioner while filling online application form entered his main category i.e. Category Name for the Posts as General Category, Category Code 71 and petitioner also entered Category Name for Fee Calculation as General with regard to the ibid posts, which is clearly mentioned in the application form (Annexure P-3) of the petitioner. However, petitioner filled the Physically Handicapped Details in his online application form (Annexure P-3) for extra time and requirement of scribe regarding ibid posts, As petitioner filled the main category as General Category (Code 71) while submitting his online application form (Annexure P-3), therefore, petitioner has been considered under General Category (Code 71) only and not under the Physically Handicapped Category. Accordingly, Admit Card (Annexure P-5) was also issued to the petitioner in the General Category (Code 71) only. Consequently, result of the petitioner has also been declared in

the General Category (Code 71)….

5. That it is also noteworthy to mention here with regard to the representation dated 12.01.2026 (Annexure P-8) sent by the petitioner