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What is the News?
The Supreme Court held that a public employer can reject a candidate if the candidate is unsuitable. Thus, a person acquitted of a serious crime merely on the benefit of the doubt can be rejected.
What was the case?
- A man cleared the recruitment exam of a constable in the Rajasthan Police Service.
- However, he was not appointed to the post. He was acquitted of murder after the witnesses turned hostile in Rajasthan in 2009.
Supreme Court Observations:
- The Supreme Court observes that acquittal in a criminal case does not automatically qualify a candidate for appointment to the post.
- The person should be honorably acquitted of a heinous crime and not on the benefit of the doubt. Only then is a person considered eligible for public employment.
- An honorable acquittal is when the accused is acquitted after full consideration of the evidence. Also, if the prosecution miserably fails to prove the charges leveled against the accused.
- However, if this parameter is not met, the acquittal is based on the benefit of the doubt.
- The present case can hardly fall under the category of an honorable acquittal. The witnesses had turned hostile. Hence, the appointment was rejected.
Source: The Hindu
