Allahabad High Court
PRIYANKAversusSTATE OF U.P. AND 2 OTHERS
- Decided
- Bench
- MANJU RANI CHAUHAN
Holding
The petition is disposed with a direction that, upon submission of a certified copy of the order and the experience certificates, the respondent must verify the documents, afford a hearing, and pass a reasoned order within the stipulated time.
Summary
The petitioner, Priyanka, filed a writ petition seeking appointment as Head Master of a privately managed aided junior high school, relying on a provisional selection list dated 24‑12‑2025 and her participation in document verification. The State authorities later omitted her name from the final list, citing doubts about the authenticity of her experience certificate, which lacked the required countersignature of the Block Education Officer. The petitioner submitted a supplementary affidavit attaching the experience certificates, while the respondents argued that no official record of the countersignature existed. The Court examined whether the petitioner could be compelled to be appointed despite the alleged documentary deficiencies. It held that the petition could not be granted outright but directed the petitioner to submit a certified copy of the order along with the experience certificates and make a representation before the District Basic Education Officer within three weeks. Upon such submission, the respondent must verify the documents, afford a hearing, and pass a reasoned order within six weeks, provided no legal impediment exists.
Issues considered
- Whether the petitioner is entitled to appointment as Head Master based on the provisional selection list and participation in document verification.
- Whether the lack of a countersigned experience certificate justifies the respondent's refusal to confirm the appointment.
- Whether the court can conditionally direct the respondent to consider the petitioner's representation after submission of certified documents.
Subjects
- appointment
- head master
- selection list
- experience certificate
- countersignature
- document verification
- writ petition
- education
- private aided school
Judgment
HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT ALLAHABAD
WRIT - A No. - 8301 of 2026
Priyanka
.....Petitioner(s)
Versus
State Of U.P. And 2 Others
.....Respondent(s)
Counsel for Petitioner(s) : Sanjeev Kumar Khare, Sr. Advocate
Counsel for Respondent(s) : C.S.C.
Court No. - 52
HON'BLE MRS. MANJU RANI CHAUHAN, J.
The supplementary affidavit filed today by learned counsel for the
petitioner is taken on record. The office is directed to register the
same.
Heard learned counsel for the petitioner and learned Standing
Counsel for the State.
The writ petition has been filed with the following prayers:-
“(i) Issue a writ, order or direction of a suitable nature commanding the
respondent to forthwith grant appointment to the petitioner as the Head Master
of a privately managed recognized and aided Jr. High School on the basis of the
provisional selected list dated 24.12.2025 and participation of the petitioner in
the counseling/document verification on 19.01.2026/21.01.2026 within a period
to be specified by this Court.
(ii) Issue a writ, order or direction of a suitable nature commanding the
respondent to permit the petitioner to function as Head Master of a privately
managed recognized and aided institution in accordance with the preference
submitted by the petitioner and to pay the petitioner her regular salary monthly
on the said post."
On 27.05.2026, the following order was passed:-
"Learned counsel for the petitioner submits that the petitioner has been selected
on the post of Headmaster and her name finds place at Sl. No. 406 in the select
list annexed at Page-39 of the writ petition. She was called for document
verification, however, in the final list her name does not find place for the
reasons best known to the respondent authority.
On the aforesaid, Mr. Brijesh Narain, learned Standing Counsel appearing for
the State, requests for ten days' time to obtain instructions in the matter.
WRIA No. 8301 of 2026
2
Put up this case on 08th June, 2026 as fresh."
In the compliance affidavit filed on behalf of respondent no.3, the
relevant paragraph nos.15 and 16 are as follows:-
"15. That it is also mentioned in the letter that, the experience certificate submitted by
the petitioner does not bear the countersignature of the concerned clerk of the Block
Education Office, Development Block Saurikh, nor is any office record available
relating to such countersignature. Generally, such countersignatures are recorded in
the office records and registers, but no such record has been found in the available
records. Therefore, the authenticity and genuineness of the said experience certificate
appear to be doubtful.
16. That it is also noteworthy that there is no office file, correspondence or record
available regarding any countersignature made by the undersigned on the said
experience certificate. In such circumstances, it is not possible to verify the
authenticity of the documents solely on the basis of documents submitted by the
petitioner before the Hon'ble Court."
In the supplementary affidavit filed today by learned counsel for the
petitioner, the experience certificates have been placed on page-7.
In view of the aforesaid, the writ petition is disposed of with a
direction that, in case the petitioner presents a certified copy of this
order along with the aforesaid experience certificates and a
representation before respondent no.3 District Basic Education
Officer, Kannauj, within three weeks from today, the same shall be
considered by the said respondent, in accordance with law, after
verification of the certificates and after affording the petitioner a
proper opportunity of hearing, by means of passing a reasoned and
speaking order, expeditiously and preferably within a period of six
weeks from the date of production of a certified copy of this order, if
there is no legal impediment.
(Mrs. Manju Rani Chauhan,J.)
October 1, 2026
Rahul.
Digitally signed by :-
RAHUL GOSWAMI
High Court of Judicature at Allahabad
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