The Secretary Vs P.Lekha

The issue that is involved in this lis, in short, is that the appellant viz ., Tamil Nadu Public Service Commission (in short "TNPSC") had issued a notification for Combined Civil Services Examination-II (Group-II & IIA Services) where during the selection process, onscreen certificate verification also has become a part. Such onscreen certificate verification was directed to be undertaken between 16.05.2025 and 25.05.2025, for which communication seems to have been sent electronically by the TNPSC.

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However, some of the candidates could not get such electronic communication during the relevant point of time and due to health reasons, they could not upload the certificates during the period that was allowed by the TNPSC due to which their chance of getting selected got shattered.

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However, subsequently, by issuing a press release on 10.06.2025, once again, the time limit for re-uploading the certificates for onscreen certificate verification was permitted between 11.06.2025 and 20.06.2025 by the TNPSC. However, such a second opportunity was given only to those candidates who had already made an attempt to upload the certificates but failed to make it within the stipulated time or whose certificates were found to be defective. Those who had not uploaded certificates for onscreen certificate verification on the first time i.e ., May 2025, were not given second opportunity. Only in those circumstances, the present writ petition was filed. The present writ petitioner is also one among the affected candidates, as she could not get second opportunity given by the TNPSC between 11.06.2025 and 20.06.2025.

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This issue was considered by the learned writ Court and a common order was passed which is impugned herein, whereby the learned Single Judge, having taken clue from several decisions of various High Courts and Hon'ble Supreme Court and also taking note of the fact that if an opportunity is given to others to re-upload the certificates for the second time between 11.06.2025 and 20.06.2025,

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denial of such an opportunity to the present writ petitioners would violate the rights conferred under Articles 14 and 16 of the Constitution of India and thereby, it requires interference in the hands of the writ Court and allowed the writ petitions.

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Though the impugned order has been assailed in the present intra-court appeal, Mrs.G.Hema, learned Standing Counsel appearing for TNPSC would contend that insofar as the second opportunity given in the month of June 2025 for re-uploading the certificates is concerned, it was given only for limited number of candidates who had made an attempt for the first time but could not complete the entire process and to those candidates whose certificates were found to be defective and such kind of opportunity would not be given to all the candidates and the logic that has been adopted by the learned writ Court to extend the benefit to these petitioners also is liable to be interfered with.

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However, learned Standing Counsel appearing for TNPSC would fairly submit that the order passed by the writ Court which is impugned herein has been complied with and the writ petitioners have been permitted to re-upload the certificates and to complete the onscreen certificate verification, which they have

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successfully completed.

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In view of the submission made by the learned Standing Counsel appearing for TNPSC that the orders of the writ Court have since been complied with, the writ appeal which is presently before us, if at all is decided, it is only for academic interest. In this context, we deem it appropriate to observe that the issue raised in this writ appeal can be decided in an appropriate case. Since the TNPSC has complied with the order which is impugned herein by permitting candidates, including the present respondent/writ petitioner, to complete the process of onscreen certificate verification, we do not wish to go into the merits of the order impugned as no further adjudication is required at this juncture.

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With this observation, this writ appeal is disposed of. No costs. Connected C.M.P. is closed.

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gya Index:Yes/No Neutral Citation: Yes/No

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R. SURESH KUMAR, J. AND P. DHANABAL, J.

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