The Delhi High Court has accepted the Manipur government's inability of arranging transportation facilities for tribal candidates from the hill districts of the state for the UPSC Civil Services (UPSC) exam centres which are outside the state. However, the state government has assured to extend financial assistance in the form of reimbursement.
The Delhi HC was hearing a public interest litigation (PIL) by the Zomi Students Federation seeking directions to the government to set up of exam centres in the hill districts of Manipur to enable them to take the Civil Services (Preliminary) Examination, 2024 and Indian Forest Service (Preliminary) Examination, 2024 (CSE - Preliminary).
Taking note of an affidavit handed over by the UPSC’s counsel, a division bench of Acting Chief Justice Manmohan and Justice Manmeet Pritam Singh Arora accepted the arguments made by the state.
The UPSC had on March 27 handed over an affidavit stating, "...The Government of Manipur has expressed its inability to open examination centres at Churachandpur and Kangpokpi, districts of Manipur, it is not feasible for the Commission to open and operate examination venues at Churachandpur and Kangpokpi districts for the UPSC examination.”
The affidavit further stated that candidates from the hill districts of Manipur, who have opted for Imphal as their examination centre can change their examination centre to Aizawl (Mizoram), Kohima (Nagaland), Shillong (Meghalaya), Dispur (Assam), Jorhat (Assam), Kolkata (West Bengal) and Delhi to take the exam.
The UPSC counsel added that in case these candidates of the hill districts of Manipur opt for any other centre apart from the seven mentioned, “their request shall be accommodated”. The counsel assured that the Commission will permit the candidates from the hill districts of Manipur, who have opted for Imphal as their examination centre to change their examination centre between April 8-19, 2024 by making a request for change of examination centre at e-mail ID: “uscsp-upsc@nic.in”.
The court, in its order, also noted that the Manipur government, in a letter by Manipur Chief Secretary, has decided to extend financial assistance in the form of reimbursement of fare for conveyance, limited to the maximum of 2nd class sleeper railway fare rates or notified bus fare rate of the state, as well as for fooding and accommodation at the rate of Rs 1,000 per day for three days at the maximum.
The Manipur government also assured to make arrangements for facilitating transportation within the district through the Deputy Commissioner concerned. In other exceptional circumstances, matter will be considered on a case-to-case basis, the letter stated.
The statements/assurances/undertakings given by the learned counsel for the Commission as well as by the State of Manipur are accepted by this Court and they are held bound by the same. Recording the aforesaid undertakings/ statements/ assurances, the present writ petition is disposed of,” the court stated in its order.
The court further clarified that the Petitioner Federation shall be at liberty to approach the court for variation/modification/clarification of the present order by filing an appropriate application.
