The Manipur High Court has again extended the time of submission of a report by the CBI into the alleged irregularities in the conduct of the Manipur Civil Services Combined Competitive (Main) Examination, 2016, by another six months. The exam was conducted by the Manipur Public Service Commission (MPSC).
Some candidates had filed a writ petition contending that there were irregularities.
The court had given three months’ time to submit a report. However, the CBI had sought extension four times.
The court had directed the government to examine the petition by constituting an inquiry committee, and the panel submitted a report, saying there were no irregularities. On the basis of this report, many of the “successful candidates” had been absorbed into the civil and police services. But their services were terminated later.
Some candidates, under the RTI Act, obtained crucial documents, which established that there were rampant irregularities in the examination. The Supreme Court had directed the High Court to conduct the trial. Later, the examination was cancelled. The CBI was directed on October 18, 2019, to investigate the matter and submit a report within three months. After hearing the CBI prayer, the High Court granted an extension of six months on February 21, 2020. However, the CBI again prayed for further extension. The prayer was granted by the court. For the fourth time, the CBI sought further extension.
CBI books MPSC officials for alleged exam irregularities
A bench comprising Justices L. Jamir and Kh Nobin took up the matter on August 2 and gave the further extension of six months. It would be the final one.
Examinations conducted by the MPSC were mostly embroiled in controversies. On one occasion, its secretary Irengbam Bijoy resigned, owning moral responsibility for the scams.
