DJS 2022 | Reserved Category Candidate Can Rectify Bonafide Mistake Of Applying In General Category If No Prejudice Is Caused To Any Person: Delhi HC

The Delhi High Court has held that a person of a reserved category, committing a bona fide mistake of applying under General category for an examination should be given an opportunity to rectify the same, so long as their action does not cause prejudice to any person. In this case, the petitioner, who is currently posted as an Additional Civil Judge, Junior Division, Uttar Pradesh Judicial Services had appeared for the Delhi Judicial Service Preliminary Examination, 2022 as a General Category candidate, instead of a Reserved category candidate due to a bona fide mistake. Thus, the petitioner filed the present petition, praying that directions be issued to the respondent to consider her application for DJS 2022 in the reserved category of Scheduled Caste instead of the General Category. The bench consisting of Justice Vibhu Bakhru and Justice Amit Mahajan held that– "The limited question that falls for consideration before this Court is whether the petitioner should suffer the consequence of her mistake, which she has admittedly committed, or ought to be given a chance to rectify the same recognised that the petitioner's mistake was a bona fide one and that she derived no benefit from submitting an incorrect application disclosing her category as the general category… Clearly, a person committing a bona fide mistake, which does not cause prejudice to any person, should be given an opportunity to rectify the same."