each candidate whose candidature has been rejected due to technical errors in filling up the OMR sheets and then arrange a second phase of examination for the subject post by incurring further expenditure and making requisite arrangements all over again not only for a handful of petitioners before us, but for almost 10,000 similarly placed candidates located all over the country. This process could take several months to complete and shall have the effect of delaying the entire selection process of appointing Head Constables (Ministerial) in the BSF, thereby causing administrative delays and adversely affecting the efficiency of the force. 18. Another consideration that has weighed with this court for declining the request of the petitioners is that not only had the entire process of the examination concluded by the time they had approached the court for relief, if any relief is granted to any of them at this belated stage, it would have a cascading effect as other similarly placed candidates who shall start knocking at the doors of the court asking for similar relief, which is impermissible. 19. We are therefore of the opinion that if the respondents are called upon to accept incomplete OMR sheets of the petitioners, it shall bring the entire examination process to a grinding halt which is not in the larger public interest. More so, when other candidates who have been disqualified by the respondents for the same reason, have reconciled themselves to their fate being mindful of the “Instructions for Marking” printed in the OMR sheets, and conscious of the fact that they had committed mistakes in fulfilling the procedural formalities prescribed by the BSF at the time of filling up the OMR sheets. The petitioners herein cannot be permitted to steal a march over them merely because they have approached the court for relief and that too belatedly, whereas the others have not.”
