IN THE HIGH COURT OF PUNJAB & HARYANA AT CHANDIGARH LPA-1036-2026 (O&M)

Date of decision: 17.04.2026 SWATI MEHRA AND ORS ....Appellants Versus STATE OF HARYANA AND ORS ...Respondents CORAM: HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE ASHWANI KUMAR MISHRA HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE ROHIT KAPOOR *****

Present: Mr. Keshav Gupta, Advocate for the appellants.

Mr. Kanwal Goyal, Advocate for respondent No.3/Commission.

Mr. R.K. Malik, Senior Advocate with Mr. Ankur Sheoran, Advocate for respondent No.4/caveator. Mr. Sarthak Gupta, Advocate for respondent No.6.

Mr. Pankaj Middha, Addl. Advocate General, Haryana.

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ASHWANI KUMAR MISHRA, J. (Oral)

1. This appeal arises out of a judgment and order of the learned Single Judge dated 20.02.2026, whereby the petition filed by the appellants challenging the selection proceedings was dismissed.

2. It transpires that the respondent-Commission has advertised various posts including the post of Deputy Director of Agriculture and equivalent (Administrative Cadre) (Group-A) in Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Department, Haryana. The advertisement, pursuant to which the recruitment has been initiated, is contained in Annexure P-1. Two clauses which have been relied upon by the appellants