Domestic Dispute Cannot Be Grounds to Stall Employment Says Tribunal

The Central Administrative Tribunal (CAT) has ruled that a pending family dispute cannot be a valid reason to indefinitely withhold a government job appointment after a candidate has cleared all selection stages.

The Tribunal directed the Central Government and the Staff Selection Commission (SSC) to issue an appointment letter within three months to the candidate who had successfully qualified for the post of Sub-Inspector (SSO).

 

Background of the Case

Jatin Kumar had cleared all examinations and formalities for the SSO position in the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF). However, due to a domestic dispute case registered against him, the authorities withheld his appointment.

A bench comprising Judicial Member Harinder Singh Sidhu and Administrative Member Sushil Jeth underlined in their decision that merely having a matrimonial dispute does not automatically disqualify an individual from public service.

“During service verification, any family dispute pending before the court should not be treated as a criminal antecedent preventing appointment,” the bench observed.

 

Tribunal’s Observations

The Tribunal noted that the SSC had cleared the candidate in 2023 itself, but his appointment was withheld due to the dispute. The Tribunal found this action to be excessive and amounting to harassment.

The bench further clarified that if the dispute does not involve moral turpitude or serious criminality, it should not impede the process of appointment.

The Tribunal instructed that the appointment letter be issued within a period of three months, ending prolonged uncertainty for the candidate.