Allahabad High Court
ANJALI VARMAversusSTATE OF U.P. AND ANOTHER
- Decided
- Bench
- MANISH KUMAR NIGAM
Holding
The petition lacks merit and cannot be granted as the examination process is complete, so no mandamus is issued.
Summary
The petitioner, Anjali Varma, filed a writ petition seeking a mandamus directing the recruitment authority to amend her category from General to OBC in an online application for the post of Health Worker (Female), alleging a clerical mistake. She submitted a representation dated 26.08.2026 requesting the change before the document verification stage. The respondents argued that the petitioner had applied and appeared for the written examination as a General category candidate and was now seeking a post‑factum alteration after the results were declared. The court observed that the examination process had already been completed and the results announced, rendering any alteration of category impracticable. Consequently, the court found the petition devoid of merit and dismissed it, refusing to issue the writ of mandamus.
Issues considered
- Can a writ of mandamus be issued to direct a recruitment authority to change a candidate's category after the examination and result have been declared?
- Does a clerical mistake in an online application permit rectification of the candidate's category at the post‑examination stage?
Subjects
- OBC reservation
- public service recruitment
- writ of mandamus
- clerical mistake
- examination result
- administrative law
- high court
Judgment
HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT ALLAHABAD
WRIT - A No. - 14797 of 2026
Anjali Varma
.....Petitioner(s)
Versus
State of U.P. and Another
.....Respondent(s)
Counsel for Petitioner(s) : Pankaj Kumar Mishra, Satya Prakash Maurya
Counsel for Respondent(s) : C.S.C., Siddharth Singhal
Court No. - 33
HON'BLE MANISH KUMAR NIGAM, J.
1. This writ petition has been filed seeking following relief :-
"Issue a writ, order of direction in the nature of mandamus directing the respondent
authority to consider the representation of the petitioner dated 26.08.2026, pending before
the respondent no.2 in respect to amend the category of the petitioner as "OBC Category
in place of "General Category" in online application form due to being clerical mistake
and also to include the same in document verification for the selection of the petitioner
under the OBC Category for the post of Health Worker (Female) in pursuance of the
Advertisement No.11-Exame/2024, Health Worker (Female), Main Exam, otherwise the
petitioner shall suffer irreparable loss and injury."
2. Submission of learned counsel for the petitioner is that candidature of the petitioner
be considered under the OBC category in place of general category in the
examination.
3. Shri Siddharth Singhal, learned counsel for the respondents submits that petitioner
has applied under the general category and has also appeared in the written
examination as a general category candidate and after being unsuccessful in the same,
petitioner wants to change his category.
4. Learned counsel for the petitioner submitted that because of inadvertent mistake,
category of the petitioner has wrongly been fixed in the form.
5. Be as it may, since the examination has commenced and the result has also been
declared, relief claimed by the petitioner cannot be granted at this stage.
6. The writ petition lacks merit and is accordingly dismissed.
September 23, 2026
Rishabh
(Manish Kumar Nigam,J.)
Digitally signed by :-
RISHABH KUMAR
High Court of Judicature at Allahabad
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