DIMAPUR — The Supreme Court has reserved its judgment/orders on a challenge to the Gauhati High Court judgment concerning the recruitment of 40 Excise constables in Nagaland.

The special leave petition (SLP), filed by 16 candidates against the State of Nagaland and others, challenges the June 23 judgment of the Gauhati High Court, Kohima Bench. The Supreme Court has allowed the parties one week to file their written submissions.

The dispute arose after the Excise and Prohibition department introduced a written examination into the recruitment process through a corrigendum dated June 4, 2025, after issuing an advertisement for 40 Excise constable posts on April 7, 2025.

The petitioners had challenged the introduction of the written test, arguing that it was not prescribed under the applicable recruitment rules and amounted to a change in the selection process after it had commenced.

Also read: Nagaland: GHC Kohima Bench bars further extensions for contractual assistant professors

SC stays High Court order restoring 46 Excise constable recruitment in Nagaland

The state, however, argued that the departmental recruitment board was empowered to devise the selection procedure and that the written test was introduced to facilitate better screening of candidates. It also maintained that the change applied to all applicants.

The Gauhati High Court, in its June 23 judgment, allowed the state's appeal against the earlier Single Judge order. It held that the departmental recruitment board could introduce a written test and directed the authorities to complete the recruitment process initiated through the April 7, 2025 advertisement.

JOIN OUR WHATSAPP CHANNEL