BPSC Exam Row: SC refuses to hear plea over alleged irregularities, police action

NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court on Tuesday refused to examine a plea over the alleged irregularities in the BPSC exam held on December 13, 2024, and the consequent police action on protestors. A bench comprising Chief Justice Sanjiv Khanna and Justices Sanjay Kumar and K V Viswanathan asked petitioner to move the Patna High Court with the grievances.

The counsel appearing for petitioner, Anand Legal Aid Forum Trust, urged the bench to consider the plea, saying the country witnessed Bihar police's brutally on peaceful protesters who sought cancellation of the contentious Bihar Public Service Commission (BPSC) exam.

"We are asking you to go to the Patna High Court,” the CJI said. The counsel, however, said, "This paper leak is happening as a daily matter." "We understand your sentiments attached...but we cannot be the court of first instance," the CJI said, "and we feel it will be appropriate and more expeditious that the petitioner approached the Patna High Court under Article 226 of the Constitution."

The lawyer informed the bench the place where police led a charge with batons on protestors was near the Patna High Court chief justice's official residence and a suo-motu note could have been taken. Bihar police allegedly used force to control civil service aspirants who demanded the cancellation of the BPSC examination held on December 13, 2024.

Also read BPSC Exam Row: Prashant Kishor detained by police in Patna

The state public service commission ordered a re-exam held on January 4 at 22 centers in Patna for certain candidates. Of the 12,012 candidates eligible for the retest, a total of 8,111 downloaded their admit cards, and 5,943 appeared for the examination.

Jan Suraaj founder Prashant Kishor, who was on an indefinite fast in Patna's Gandhi Maidan, raising the same demand was arrested and later released on bail. He was moved to the ICU of Medanta Hospital in the city on Tuesday over health complications.