The Jharkhand High Court at Ranchi has dismissed three writ petitions challenging the recruitment process of Grameen Chowkidars in Koderma district. The petitions, filed by Pintu Kumar, Ravindra Kumar, and Kanchan Kumari Sinha, alleged irregularities in the shortlisting and merit list preparation. The division bench comprising Chief Justice Tarlok Singh Chauhan and Justice Rajesh Shankar delivered the order on September 19, 2025.
Background
The dispute began after the Deputy Commissioner of Koderma issued Advertisement No.01/2024 for the recruitment of village chowkidars. According to the petitioners, the advertisement specifically required candidates to be permanent residents of the Beat area where they applied. However, the shortlisting was done on the basis of district-level category cut-offs, leaving out several local candidates.
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The petitioners argued that this approach was unfair. “The result published on a district-wide basis was arbitrary and discriminatory,” their counsel contended, pointing out that many Beats were left without local chowkidars.
In particular, petitioner Kanchan Kumari Sinha claimed she had secured 70% in the written exam, above the minimum qualifying marks, but was still denied the chance to appear in the physical test.
Court’s Observations
The bench carefully examined the Jharkhand Chowkidar Cadre Rules, 2015, which govern the recruitment process. The judges noted that while the rules require applicants to be permanent residents of their Beat, the actual appointment is to be made at the district level.
Justice Rajesh Shankar, delivering the order, explained: “The word यथासंभव (as far as possible) used in the rules indicates that posting within a Beat is desirable but not mandatory. Similarly, सामान्यतः (ordinarily) makes non-transferability directory, not absolute.”
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The court emphasized purposive interpretation of the law, citing Supreme Court precedents. “If the literal meaning leads to absurdity, the purposive construction must prevail,” the bench observed.
On the specific plea of Kanchan Kumari Sinha, the judges pointed out that although she crossed the 30% qualifying threshold, the cut-off for the written exam was fixed at 80%. “Merely securing more than qualifying marks does not confer a right to be called for the physical test,” the court said.
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Decision
After considering arguments from both sides, the bench concluded that the recruitment followed the cadre rules and the district-level roster system. It held that the petitioners’ interpretation of Beat-wise appointments was inconsistent with the law.
Finding no merit in the claims, the court dismissed all three petitions along with pending interlocutory applications.
The recruitment process of Chowkidars in Koderma, therefore, stands upheld by the High Court.
Case Title: Pintu Kumar & Ors. vs. State of Jharkhand & Ors.
Case Numbers: W.P.(S) No.1498 of 2025, W.P.(S) No.1529 of 2025, W.P.(S) No.4064 of 2025
Date of Judgment: 19 September 2025
