Jan Suraaj Party moves Patna HC, seeks cancellation of BPSC exams

Amid Prashant Kishor's fast unto death over alleged irregularities in the Bihar PSC exams, his Jan Suraaj Party has moved the Patna High Court, seeking cancellation of the competitive tests, his counsel said on Friday.

Advocate Pranav Kumar said the petition, highlighting "irregularities in the Combined Competitive Exams held on December 13", has been posted for hearing on January 15.

"The case was mentioned today before the single-judge bench of Justice Arvind Singh Chandel. The matter has been posted for hearing on January 15," he told PTI-Bhasha.

"We have highlighted large-scale irregularities in the exams held across the state, citing instances of people carrying mobile phones inside examination halls where there were no jammers. At many places, several examinees solved their question papers huddled together," he alleged.

Kumar claimed that "such irregularities" were reported from many examination centres and not just Bapu Pariksha Parisar where many candidates had boycotted the tests, alleging that the question paper had been leaked.

"Hence, we have prayed for cancellation of the entire examination besides action against officials who may be responsible for the irregularities," the lawyer said.

Notably, about five lakh candidates had appeared at more than 900 centres across the state for the exams.

Re-examination was held for 1,200 candidates assigned to Bapu Pariksha Parisar centre  The Bihar Public Service Commission (BPSC) has been denying the allegations with the claim that there was a "conspiracy" to get the exams cancelled.

The commission's decision to order a re-exam for a select group of candidates has been resented by others who have launched a stir, alleging that they have been deprived of a "level-playing field".

Kishor, who has thrown his weight behind the agitation, began a fast unto death on January 2 and refused to give up, despite the advice of doctors to resume normal diet.

His party has said he could consider discontinuing the fast if Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar agreed to break the deadlock by having a word with a delegation of civil service aspirants.