The Federal Constitutional Court (FCC) on Wednesday granted significant relief to the Sindh Public Service Commission (SPSC) by suspending interim orders of the Sindh High Court directing an inquiry against the commission, halting interviews of successful candidates, and ordering the rechecking of answer scripts of unsuccessful candidates.
The court issued notices to the respondents on the SPSC’s appeal and adjourned further hearing of the case until after the summer court vacations.
During the hearing, Justice Baqar Najafi observed that the Sindh High Court, through its interim order, had effectively granted relief of a final nature.
Counsel for the Sindh Public Service Commission, Hafiz Ehsan Khokhar, argued that under the Constitution, a court cannot grant relief beyond what has been sought in a petition. He contended that the Sindh High Court had exceeded its constitutional jurisdiction.
Counsel representing the unsuccessful candidates alleged that the Sindh Public Service Commission had become a hub of corruption and nepotism. He further submitted that the Sindh High Court had, in the past, even ordered the dissolution of the commission, after which new rules were framed and the commission was reconstituted.
In response, Hafiz Ehsan Khokhar argued that such general allegations had no relevance to the present proceedings and that the court should confine itself to the legal issues arising in the case.
After hearing the arguments, the Federal Constitutional Court suspended the Sindh High Court’s interim directions ordering an inquiry against the commission, staying interviews of successful candidates, and directing the rechecking of answer scripts of unsuccessful candidates.
The court issued notices to the parties and adjourned further proceedings until after the summer court vacations.