Anurag and Others Vs State of Haryana and… — Writ and Judicial Review | Punjab & Haryana HC (2026)

Anurag and Others Vs State of Haryana and… — Writ and Judicial Review | Punjab & Haryana HC (2026)

What the court decided

AI extract

Outcome

Petition dismissed as withdrawn as rendered infructuous, without any opinion on merits; no substantive relief granted; pending miscellaneous application(s), if any, disposed of.

Issue for consideration

Whether the respondents' action in filling up the posts of Sports and School Special Assistant by adopting a pick-and-choose policy without issuing any public advertisement or following any transparent selection process, and issuing engagement letters to shortlisted candidates, is arbitrary, illegal and violative of Articles 14 and 16 of the Constitution of India. +1 more

Ratio / Principle

The writ petition is dismissed as withdrawn, on the statement of learned counsel for the petitioner (on instructions) that it has been rendered infructuous, and without expressing any opinion on the merits of the case.

Key takeaways

Pending miscellaneous application(s), if any, also stand disposed of.ratio¶27

Detailed headnote1 paragraphs

Civil Writ Petition (CWP-659-2021) under Articles 226/227 of the Constitution of India challenging the respondents' action in filling up the posts of Sports and School Special Assistant by adopting a pick-and-choose policy without public advertisement or transparent selection, shortlisting candidates on a first come, first served basis and issuing engagement letters vide Memo No. 20/71-2020 dated 12.11.2020 (Annexure P-51) and dated 08.12.2020 (Annexure P-52), alleged to be arbitrary and violative of Articles 14 and 16; further prayer for mandamus to accept the petitioners' applications submitted pursuant to Link Notice dated 24.10.2020 (Annexure P-2) and to permit their participation in selection and appointment. Learned counsel for the petitioners, upon instructions, sought permission to withdraw the petition as rendered infructuous. Held, dismissing the petition as withdrawn without expressing any opinion on the merits: pending miscellaneous application(s), if any, also stand disposed of. (Harpreet Singh Brar, J.)

1

CWP-659-2021

IN THE HIGH COURT OF PUNJAB AND HARYANA AT CHANDIGARH

223 CWP-659-2021 Date of Decision: 07.07.2026

ANURAG AND OTHERS

.....Petitioners

VERSUS

STATE OF HARYANA AND OTHERS

.....Respondents

CORAM: HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE HARPREET SINGH BRAR

Present : Mr. Jasbir Mor,Advocate for the petitioner.

Mr. R.S. Budhwar, Addl. AG Haryana.

HARPREET SINGH BRAR, J. (Oral)

The present Civil Writ Petition has been filed under Articles 226/227 of the Constitution of India seeking issuance of an appropriate writ, order or direction in the nature of certiorari for quashing the impugned action of the respondents in filling up the posts of Sports and School Special Assistant by adopting a pick-and-choose policy without issuing any public advertisement or following any transparent selection process. The respondents shortlisted candidates on a "first come, first served" basis and issued engagement letters to several candidates vide Memo No. 20/71-2020

PARUL VERMA 2026.07.07 17:58 I attest to the accuracy and authenticity of this order/judgment.

2

CWP-659-2021

dated 12.11.2020 (Annexure P-51) and dated 08.12.2020 (Annexure P-52), which action is arbitrary, illegal and violative of Articles 14 and 16 of the Constitution of India.

1.1. A further prayer has been made for issuance of a writ in the nature of mandamus directing the respondents to accept the hard copy of the petitioners' applications submitted pursuant to the Link Notice dated 24.10.2020 (Annexure P-2) for the post of Sports and School Special Assistant, being duly eligible and qualified, and to permit the petitioners to participate in the document verification and selection process. It has also been prayed that, if found eligible, qualified and meritorious, the petitioners be selected and appointed to the said posts.

1.2. The petitioners have further prayed for issuance of an appropriate order or direction permitting them to participate in the process of selection and appointment to the posts of Sports and School Special Assistant during the pendency of the present writ petition.

At this stage, learned counsel for the petitioner, upon instructions received, seeks permission to withdraw the present petition as having been rendered infructuous.

PARUL VERMA 2026.07.07 17:58 I attest to the accuracy and authenticity of this order/judgment.

3

CWP-659-2021

In view of the statement made by learned counsel for the petitioner, and without expressing any opinion on the merits of the case, the present petition is dismissed as withdrawn.

Pending miscellaneous application(s), if any, shall also stands

disposed of.

(HARPREET SINGH BRAR) JUDGE

07.07.2026

parul verma

Whether speaking/reasoned. : Yes/No Whether Reportable. : Yes/No

PARUL VERMA 2026.07.07 17:58 I attest to the accuracy and authenticity of this order/judgment.