ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court (SC) has declared null and void the tests and interviews conducted by the Sindh Public Service Commission in 2013. “In view of large scale illegalities and discrepancies committed in the written tests and interviews of CCE-2013 the same are set aside and cancelled,” the court stated. It, however, also clarified that the screening tests and results would not be cancelled or set aside. The court ordered appointment of the SPSC head and its members. A 34-page judgement, written by Justice Faez Isa was announced on Monday by Justice Mazhar Alam Miankhel. A suo motu case was initiated on an application sent to then chief justice of Pakistan Anwar Zaheer Jamali challenging the eligibility of the chairman as well as eight members of the SPSC on the grounds that they did not possess the required qualification. Through a detailed judgement, the court observed that those who participated could not be blamed for the fault on the part of the government and the commission. “We are mindful of the fact that the inordinate delay by the Commission in finalizing matters may have caused some to exceed the maximum age thereby preventing them from applying again for another competitive examination that is advertised and many may also be financially constrained to bear addition charges,” the court observed. At the same time those who obtained an illegal advantage cannot be permitted to retain it, the court added. The court directed that the fresh written tests for CCE-2013 for the posts as advertised be held as soon as possible after appointments of the head and members. “Only the 2,813 candidates who had earlier taken the written tests of CCE-2013 for the 182 posts be permitted to take the fresh written tests even if in the meanwhile they have crossed the stipulated upper age, and without requiring payment of any additional fee,” the court ruled.