Bombay HC stays rly recruitment

The Nagpur bench of Bombay High Court has stayed the appointment of goods guards and assistant station masters in railways and issued notices to five respondents on a petition alleging favouritism by Union Railway Minister Nitish Kumar in appointing majority candidates from Bihar.

Justice Vijay Daga and Justice Bhushan Gavai yesterday issued notice before admission to Nitish Kumar, chairman of Railway Recruitment Board (RRB), secretary (Railways), assistant secretary of RRB (Bhopal) and his counterpart at Mumbai, to show cause in response to a petition filed by five aspiring candidates from the city. The petitioners have made serious allegations against Nitish Kumar, saying that the minister had exerted pressure on RRB chairman to recruit candidates from his home state Bihar.

They had applied along with 500 other candidates from Nagpur. But the results sent shockwaves among the candidates as only 10 from city had succeeded while more than 90 per cent successful candidates belonged to Bihar.