The Enduring HCS Recruitment Scam: A Matter of Reflection for the Judiciary

Gustakhi Maaf Haryana: Pawan Kumar Bansal

The Enduring HCS Recruitment Scam: A Matter of Reflection for the Judiciary

Introduction: A Long-Pending Case
The so-called scam related to the recruitment of the Haryana Civil Services (HCS) 2002 and 2004 batches has been pending before the Hon’ble High Court for over 22 years. Shouldn’t this be a matter of deep self-reflection for the country’s judiciary? While some individuals among the recruited officers may be personally affected by these remarks, the responsibility lies in calling out the wrong, no matter who it involves.

Background: The Recruitment and Current Status
The recruitments in question occurred during Om Prakash Chautala’s tenure as Chief Minister. A total of 27 HCS officers from the 2002, 2003, and 2004 batches — 12 from the 2002 batch, one from the 2003 batch, and 14 from the 2004 batch — are now due for promotion to the IAS cadre. However, their promotion has been delayed twice by the UPSC due to unresolved petitions regarding the integrity of their recruitment process.

Recently, under the leadership of Mr. Saini, the government has cleared the integrity of these officers, clearing the path for their promotion to the IAS. Former minister Karan Singh Dalal has also taken the matter up with the Honorable President.

Karan Singh Dalal: A Praise for Persistence, but Some Questions
Karan Singh Dalal deserves recognition for his unyielding legal battle, which has been ongoing for over two decades. However, one must question his actions during the nine-and-a-half years he served in the Hooda government (2005 to 2014). Why did he not call for a Vigilance or judicial inquiry into these recruitment scams when he had the opportunity? Why did he never raise his voice or file a PIL regarding these recruitment cases during that period?

Questions for the Judiciary
If the HCS recruitments from the 2002, 2003, and 2004 batches were clean, why are these petitions still pending after 22 years? Why do doubts about these officers’ integrity still persist? These officers should have received a clean chit by now if their recruitment process was transparent. If these recruitments were indeed flawed or tainted, why are these 27 officers still in service? Why are they now being considered for IAS promotion?

Moreover, if fraud did take place, why has the judiciary failed to protect the rights of the 27 deserving candidates who were deprived of their opportunities? When and how will their losses be compensated? Despite having a separate bench for service matters, why do recruitment scam cases continue to linger for decades instead of being prioritized?

Even in cases where recruitment scams are proven, why have the commission members, bureaucrats, and politicians involved not been punished with jail sentences? Is the prolonged inaction of the judiciary one of the reasons why corrupt individuals and scamsters feel emboldened?

Questions for the BJP Government
The Khattar government came to power promising to address corruption in the recruitment process of previous governments. However, why was the former HPSC chairman rewarded instead of being held accountable for his role in the recruitment process? Why was there a cover-up in the Vigilance inquiry into all HCS recruitments conducted under the Chautala government?

If the current government believes that the integrity of these 27 officers is beyond question, why has permission been granted to file criminal cases against the HPSC chairman and the members responsible for the recruitment?

The Larger Picture: A Broken System
Many such questions may trouble your mind as well. It’s high time to raise your voice against the rampant corruption and inefficiency in our recruitment system. Politicians appoint inefficient and corrupt individuals to recruitment commissions, turning them into marketplaces where merit is secondary. We, as citizens, have already suffered the consequences of these scams, and sadly, our children will likely face the same fate.

Whenever recruitment scams are taken to court, they either get dismissed after a few hearings or are drawn out for years with endless delays. Who is ultimately responsible for this state of affairs? When will this corrupt system come to an end?

Conclusion: A Call for Accountability and Reform
The time has come for serious introspection and action, both from the judiciary and the government. This ongoing saga of corruption, inefficiency, and delayed justice harms not only those directly affected but undermines the faith of the public in the integrity of our recruitment processes. When will the system be held accountable? When will we see real change?