An enquiry into alleged discrepancies in the conduct of Delhi Judicial Services (DJS) 2014 examinations has given a ray of hope to 12 candidates whose scores in the examination have shown a significant rise, enough to make them fit to qualify for the interview.
This fact was revealed by the inquiry panel led by former Supreme Court judge PV Reddi in his report submitted to the Supreme Court in a sealed cover. A bench of Justices Dipak Misra and Shiva Kirti Singh opened the report on Friday and shared its findings with advocate Prashant Bhushan, who had argued in a PIl filed by Centre for Public Interest litigation on the need to probe the results where alleged favourtism was shown to kin of sitting Delhi High Court judges, who made it in the final 15 selected after interview.
Justice Reddi’s report concluded that the standard of marking adopted was “fair” and no foul play could be seen in the sample of 200 papers out of 659 candidates, who appeared in the examination held in October 2014. However, the report found that in individual subject papers, 100 candidates secured more marks but only 12 out of them managed to cross the threshold of 425 marks, set as cut-off of the last individual selected as a judge for the higher judicial services.
Bhushan was allowed to later examine the report in detail but was not allowed a copy as Additional Solicitor General (ASG) Maninder Singh who appeared for Delhi High Court argued that Justice Reddi’s report was meant for Court’s satisfaction and not to be distributed to the petitioner. The bench seemed satisfied with the conclusion given in the report ruling out possibility of any nepotism or malafide. At the same time, it fixed the case for hearing on March 10 to examine Bhushan’s response.