The Supreme Court (SC) nullified a policy of the Sindh government that allowed up to 15 years of age relaxation for job applicants, affirming the Sindh High Court (SHC) regarding the September 8, 2020 notification.
The policy of the Sindh government granted age relaxation in government job recruitment through the Sindh Public Service Commission (SPSC) which applied to vacancies in all departments.
However, Justice Muhammad Ali Mazhar’s 16-page verdict criticized the policy as excessive and unsupported, noting that the chief secretary’s allowance of up to 15 years exceeded the reasonable limit of five years set in the rules.
The court highlighted that a 15-year relaxation would allow individuals as old as 45 to join the civil service and retire at the age of 60 years, entitling them to pension and benefits, burdening the government financially.
Justice Mazhar underscored that merit and transparency must be prioritized over favoritism, adding that “an open-minded selection process should be based on objective criteria, free from extraneous considerations.”
The judgment noted that the court might invalidate laws, acts, and governmental actions that were incompatible with a higher authority.
The verdict called for policies aligned with justice and fairness and discouraged the exercise of unrestrained discretion, recommending that public servants be appointed strictly based on merit.
