The Rajasthan High Court has ordered the state to pay a fine of Rs 1 lakh to the petitioner as a penalty for inaccurately measuring the height of a female candidate during the Physical Test for Constable Recruitment.

Justice Ganesh Ram Meena, presiding over a single-judge bench, observed that the actions of the respondents caused significant mental distress and incurred litigation expenses for the petitioner candidate. In light of these circumstances, the court found it appropriate to levy a substantial cost on the respondents.

The petitioner had previously alleged that she was unfairly deemed unfit in the Physical Standards Test (PST) because the respondent authorities incorrectly measured her height as being below 152 cm.

It is noteworthy that the petitioner had participated in previous recruitment processes. In 2021, her height was recorded as 152.1 cm, whereas in 2022, the respondents listed her height as 152 cm during the recruitment process.

Considering the inconsistencies in the recorded height of the same individual in previous years, the Rajasthan High Court instructed the petitioner to undergo a height measurement by a medical board established by the Superintendent of AIIMS, Jodhpur.

The petitioner agreed to this on the condition that she would incur a cost of Rs 25,000 if her height was determined to be less than 152 cm. Subsequently, the measurement conducted by the medical board revealed her height to be significantly over 152 cm, specifically 152.3 cm.

The petitioner submitted an online application for recruitment to the post of Constable (General)/Driver/Band/Horse Rider/Dog Squad/Police Telecommunication) based on an advertisement dated 03.08.2023, which invited applications. This advertisement specified that women candidates needed to have a height of 152 cm to qualify for the Physical Standards Test (PST), as outlined in Sub-Clause VII of Clause 7. The petitioner applied for the position on 14.08.2023 in accordance with these requirements.

The petitioner, who was participating in the recruitment process from the open category, underwent the Physical Efficiency Test and Physical Standards Test on 27.12.2023. Despite the absence of representation from the state authorities, the court decided to expedite the matter and make a decision without further delay.

Justice Ganesh Ram Meena recently remarked in another case about the concerning trend of the state failing to provide representation in matters where it is a concerned party. Over the past two months, numerous cases have been adjourned due to the absence of state counsel, highlighting a recurring issue that the court has taken note of.

For Petitioner: Advocate Aamir Khan

Case Title: Sapna v. State of Rajasthan & Ors.

Case No: S.B. Civil Writ Petition No. 108/2024