Chandigarh: The Punjab and Haryana high court has directed the Chandigarh director general of police (DGP), to conduct a preliminary inquiry into the “missing” envelope containing recommendations of the selection committee in a recruitment case concerning a professor’s post in the department of computational sciences at the Central University of Punjab, Bathinda.Justice Pravindra Singh Chauhan passed the directions while hearing a petition filed by Ajay Singh Verma, who has challenged the delay in finalizing the selection process pursuant to an April 2022 advertisement issued by the university.Petitioner’s counsel Advocate Saurabh Arora contended that the Central University of Punjab had invited applications in April 2022 for teaching and non-teaching posts, including a professor’s post in the department of computational sciences. He applied under the general category on May 7, 2022. The petition states that due to a technical glitch, his category was shown as EWS in the application despite his having applied under the general category.According to the petition, the final eligibility status issued on Sept 26, 2022, showed the petitioner as “eligible” and his score as 15,89.7, stated to be the highest in the list. He received an interview call on Sept 17, 2022, with the interview scheduled for Sept 27, 2022, and appeared before the interview panel.The petition states that at a special meeting of the executive council of the university held on Oct 20, 2022, the council considered and unanimously resolved to approve the recommendation of the selection committee for appointment of candidates for the post of professor. It, however, decided to keep the matter in abeyance till receipt of the final legal opinion in the matter.Thereafter, as per the petitioner, a roster list issued in Jan 2024 mentioned that the issue was pending or the sealed envelope was to be opened. Another roster list issued in Aug 2025 also stated that the issue was pending or the sealed envelope was to be opened. The petitioner subsequently served a legal notice dated Dec 2, 2025 seeking finalisation of the selection process.During the hearing, counsel for the respondents placed on record a communication dated Sept 30, 2026, stating that the envelope containing the recommendations of the selection committee was “untraceable despite several efforts.”The HC noted that the petitioner had been waiting for the final result since 2022. It was also brought to the court’s notice that minutes of the Oct 20, 2022, special meeting recorded that the declaration of the result for the department of computer sciences, for which interviews had been held on Sept 27, 2022, was discussed and that the matter was kept in abeyance pending the legal opinion, with the recommendation of the selection committee placed in a sealed cover.The HC observed, “…counsel for the respondents has come to the court with the plea that the envelope containing the recommendations of the selection committee is untraceable. This response of the respondent university is not only creating doubt about the intentions of the respondents, but also nothing has been put-forth in the said communication as to why this envelope containing the recommendations of the selection committee is missing.”The Bench further observed, “In the background of the case, I deem it to be appropriate that the matter is sent to the director general of police, Chandigarh, with the direction to conduct a preliminary enquiry regarding the missing envelope containing the recommendations of the selection committee and to ascertain as to under whose custody the said envelope was and to report back to this court within a period of one week.”The HC also directed that “one post be kept reserved” and adjourned the matter to Nov 12, 2026.
