Today, Wednesday, August 7, the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) notified the Delhi High Court (HC) that its order to revoke former probationary Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer Puja Khedkar's nomination would be communicated to her within two days.
Noting the UPSC's comments, Justice Jyoti Singh dismissed Khedkar's petition challenging the commission's press release saying that her application had been rejected, reports PTI.
"The petition is disposed of granting liberty to the petitioner to approach the appropriate forum in accordance with law. It is made clear that this court has neither entered into nor expressed any opinion on the merits of the case and the filing of the present petition will not come in the way of the appropriate forum in adjudicating the issue on merits," the court said.
The court directed Khedkar to provide her address to the UPSC and that the order be sent to her physically and electronically.
It further stated that for other reliefs, such as a challenge to the cancellation order, Khedkar will have to move to the Central Administrative Tribunal (CAT).
During the hearing, senior counsel Indira Jaising, who represented Khedkar, stated that the cancellation order was never communicated to her and that she first learnt about it from a news release.
When challenged by the court as to why she did not contact CAT with her challenge, Khedkar's lawyer stated that because she was not served with the official order by UPSC, the plea was filed before the high court, calling the press release into question.
Senior counsel Naresh Kaushik, representing UPSC, stated that the commission will notify Khedkar of the ruling within two days via her email address and last known address.
On July 31, the UPSC cancelled Khedkar's candidature and prohibited her from taking future exams. She was accused of "misrepresenting information" in her application to the UPSC Civil Services Examination 2022.
Khedkar was also accused of cheating and fraudulently claiming OBC and disability quota benefits.
On August 1, a trial court in Delhi refused her anticipatory bail, stating that these are serious claims that "require a thorough investigation".
