Jammu, Dec 28 (Reporter) In a significant order, a bench of Central Administrative Tribunal at Jammu has directed the J&K Services Selection Board (JKSSB) to allow 241 overaged applicants to participate in the process of selection for the posts of Sub-Inspector notified vide advertisement notice dated November 24, 2024. The CAT, comprising Member (Judicial) Rajinder Singh Dogra and Ram Mohan Johri, Member (Administrative), was hearing an application, titled Ashwani Singh & Ors versus UT of J&K and Others, filed by 241 overaged unemployed graduates, seeking age relaxation for participating in the ongoing selection process undertaken by JKSSB. The CAT, after hearing Advocate Sheikh Shakeel Ahmed with Advocates Supriya Singh Chouhan, M Zulkarnain Chowdhary and Sameena Kouser, appearing for the 241 applicants, further directed that the participation of the applicants shall be at their own risk and responsibility, however, the result of selection of the applicants shall be kept in a sealed cover and shall await further orders from the Tribunal. When this original application was taken up for hearing, Advocate S S Ahmed, vehemently argued that the public employment is a national wealth and all eligible candidates have a fundamental right of consideration to participate in a competitive examination but in the instant case the maximum age for participation has been restricted to 28 years and 241 applicants before the Tribunal became overaged because of the inaction on the part of the indenting (Home) department as the advertisement was issued after the lapse of more than three years from the last selection process. Advocate Ahmed highlighted SRO-166 of 2005 whereby all Administrative Secretaries of J&K government are enjoined with responsibility to refer the vacancies every year upto January 15 to J&K PSC/SSB but in the present case the Home Department failed to comply SRO-166 of 2005 with the result for three years the vacancies could not be referred to SSB and consequently the applicants became overaged by more than three years. Advocate Ahmed also referred to an order passed by the High Court of J&K and Ladakh at Jammu in WP(C), titled Dinesh Singh Chib & Ors v/s UT of J&K and Or, whereby a High Court bench of Justice Javed Iqbal Wani directed the JKSSB to allow the petitioners to participate in the process of selection at their own risk and responsibility. After considering the submissions of Advocate Ahmed with Advocates Supriya Singh Chouhan, M Zulkarnain Chowdhary and Sameena Kouser, appearing for the applicants, and Deputy Advocate General Hunar Gupta, appearing for Home Department and JKSSB, the CAT directed the JKSSB to allow 241 applicants to participate in the process of selection to the posts of Sub-Inspector notified vide advertisement dated November 24, 2024...////...