Delhi High Court Delays Hearing on EWS Certificate Issuance Halt
Court Postpones Hearing on EWS Certificates
New Delhi: On Thursday, the Delhi High Court was unable to address a petition regarding the suspension of Economically Weaker Sections (EWS) certificates in the capital.
Justice Sachin Datta, presiding over a single-judge bench, did not convene for the scheduled hearing.
According to the lawyer representing the petitioner, the case against the Delhi government's order to indefinitely halt the issuance of EWS certificates is expected to be reviewed on April 28.
The plea, submitted by advocate Ashu Bidhuri, states, "The Government of NCT of Delhi, following a meeting on April 9, 2025, has issued a directive to cease the issuance of all EWS certificates indefinitely. This action was taken without any formal notification, legal justification, or transparent process, allegedly due to concerns over potential misuse or irregularities."
Consequently, the petitioner and other legitimate applicants seeking the position of Assistant Public Prosecutor are being denied access to a constitutional benefit guaranteed under Articles 15(6) and 16(6) of the Constitution.
The plea argues that the challenged directive, which lacks any formal legal authority, effectively imposes a blanket ban on a welfare initiative established by Parliament, thereby violating the constitutional principle of separation of powers. It is seen as an overreach by the executive, undermining the intent of the Constitution (One Hundred and Third Amendment) Act, 2019, and infringing upon the petitioner's rights under Articles 14, 16, 19(1)(g), and 21.
The petitioner seeks to annul the executive order halting the issuance of EWS certificates and requests that the relevant authorities issue a valid EWS certificate promptly, enabling him to apply for the reserved position.
According to the advertisement, the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) has allocated six out of 66 vacancies for the Assistant Public Prosecutor (APP) role specifically for EWS candidates, with the application deadline set for May 1.