The Sindh Public Service Commission (SPSC) has approached the Federal Constitutional Court (FCC), challenging a series of interim injunctions issued by the Sindh High Court (SHC) that have effectively stalled the entire recruitment process under the Combined Competitive Examination (CCE) 2024. The commission has filed three separate constitutional petitions, through Advocate Hafiz Ehsan, contesting interim orders dated May 14, May 21, June 9, June 17, June 22, and June 30, 2026.
Jurisdictional Overreach and Alternate Remedy
In its petitions, the SPSC contends that the Sindh High Court overstepped its constitutional jurisdiction by entertaining petitions from unsuccessful candidates despite the existence of a statutory alternate remedy under Regulation 161 of the SPSC Recruitment Management Regulations, 2023. The commission emphasized that several aggrieved candidates had already availed themselves of the designated internal forum before resorting to constitutional litigation, making the high court’s interference premature and legally unsustainable.
Transparent Examination Process
Defending the integrity of the CCE 2024, the SPSC asserted that the examination was conducted with full transparency and in strict compliance with applicable laws and recruitment regulations. According to official data, 26,742 candidates applied for the examination, of whom 4,340 appeared in the written test. Only 70 candidates successfully qualified, while 4,270 failed to achieve the required cut-off marks. The commission further noted that many of the unsuccessful candidates subsequently appeared in and cleared the CCE 2025 screening test, raising questions about the bona fides of the legal challenges.
Recruitment Process Paralyzed
The SPSC warned that the high court’s interim orders have brought the entire selection process to a grinding halt, delaying interviews of successful candidates and preventing critical public-sector appointments. It argued that judicial directions for re-evaluation of answer scripts and production of confidential examination records are not only in violation of the commission’s recruitment regulations but also run counter to settled Supreme Court precedents. The commission also contended that the ex parte nature of the interim orders infringed upon its fundamental right to a fair hearing under the Constitution.
Unwarranted Scrutiny of Commission Leadership
The petitions also challenged the high court’s direction requiring disclosure of academic credentials of the SPSC chairman and members, describing such inquiries as irrelevant, unnecessary, and outside the court’s constitutional mandate. The commission maintained that such interference undermines the operational autonomy constitutionally vested in public service commissions.
Broader Implications for Public Service Recruitment
Warning of far-reaching consequences, the SPSC submitted that allowing the interim orders to persist would set a dangerous precedent, encouraging unsuccessful candidates in future recruitment drives to bypass statutory remedies and directly approach courts for judicial re-evaluation of examination results. This, it argued, would severely undermine the efficiency, credibility, and autonomy of public service commissions across the country.
Relief Sought
The SPSC has urged the Federal Constitutional Court to:
- Suspend all interim orders issued by the Sindh High Court in relation to CCE 2024;
- Dismiss all pending petitions challenging the examination;
- Restore the stalled recruitment process immediately; and
- Expunge adverse observations made by the high court to enable appointments to proceed smoothly in accordance with the Constitution and applicable recruitment regulations.
