Delhi High Court: In a writ petition challenging the rejection of the petitioner’s candidature for recruitment as Navik (General Duty) in the 01/2025 Batch of the Indian Coast Guard on the ground that the EWS certificate submitted by him pertained to the Financial Year 2023—24 instead of 2024—25, the Division Bench comprising Nitin Wasudeo Sambre and Amit Sharma, JJ. noted that the recruitment advertisement did not clearly stipulate the relevant financial year and contained provisions creating ambiguity regarding the validity of EWS certificates. Pursuant to the interim relief granted on 16 April 2025, the petitioner completed the remaining stages of the selection process and was successfully inducted into service. The Court ultimately disposed of the writ petition in terms of the interim order.
Background
The petitioner applied for recruitment to the post of Navik (General Duty) in the Indian Coast Guard pursuant to the recruitment notice for 01/2025. He successfully cleared the first 2 stages of the selection process. However, on 28 March 2025, his candidature was rejected primarily on the ground that the EWS certificate submitted by him related to the Financial Year 2023—24, whereas the respondents considered a certificate for the Financial Year 2024—25 to be necessary.
Interim Order dated 16 April 2025
The Division Bench, comprising C. Hari Shankar and Ajay Digpaul, JJ. found that the recruitment advertisement had created ambiguity by including Notes (ii) and (v), which appeared to prescribe different requirements regarding the EWS certificate.
The Court observed that the equities were clearly in favour of the petitioner, particularly because he possessed EWS certificates for both 2023—24 and 2024—25 and, importantly, the 2024—25 certificate had been issued on 11 April 2024, before the recruitment advertisement.
Accordingly, the Court granted interim relief, permitting the petitioner to participate provisionally in Stage III and all subsequent stages. It was further directed that, if the petitioner succeeded on merit, he would be granted appointment, subject to the final outcome of the writ petition.
Pursuant to the interim order, the petitioner participated in Stage III and the subsequent stages of the recruitment process. He successfully completed the process and was inducted/appointed by the Indian Coast Guard, subject to the outcome of the writ petition.
At the final hearing, the petitioner relied upon the Court’s earlier interim order and also referred to the decision dated 21 July 2026, where a similar matter had been disposed of as infructuous after the petitioner was inducted pursuant to an interim order.
Petitioner’s Contentions
The petitioner challenged the rejection before the Delhi High Court. His case was that the recruitment advertisement required an EWS certificate to be in the Government of India-prescribed format, as stipulated in Note (ii) to Clause 7(e)(ac). He contended that, in terms of the DoPT Office Memorandum dated 31 January 2019, the relevant EWS certificate could relate to the financial year preceding the year of application. Therefore, the submission of the 2023—24 EWS certificate was, according to him, in conformity with the recruitment notice.
The petitioner also pointed out that he was in possession of a separate EWS certificate for the Financial Year 2024—25, issued on 11 April 2024, i.e. before the recruitment advertisement. He had produced this certificate before undertaking Stage II of the selection process. After examining the certificate, the respondents nevertheless permitted him to participate in Stage II.
Respondents’ Contentions
The Indian Coast Guard relied upon Note (v) to Clause 7(e)(ii)(ac) of the recruitment notice. The said provision stipulated that documents uploaded during the online application process and at the Stage II shortlisting stage were required to have been issued on or before 3 July 2024 and to remain valid at least until 30 April 2025 during document verification.
On this basis, the respondents contended that the petitioner’s 2023—24 EWS certificate was not valid up to 30 April 2025 and, therefore, could not be accepted for the recruitment process.
Court’s Decision
The Court noted that the respondents did not dispute that the petitioner had successfully completed the recruitment process and had been inducted pursuant to the interim order. The respondents also stated that they had instructions to submit that the writ petition could be disposed of in terms of the ad interim order dated 16 April 2025.
In view of the petitioner’s successful induction and the respondents’ stand, the Court held that it was appropriate to dispose of the writ petition in terms of the interim order dated 16 April 2025.
The pending application was also disposed of accordingly.
Consequently, the petitioner, who had successfully completed the recruitment process and been inducted pursuant to the interim protection granted by the Court, was allowed to continue in employment in accordance with the terms of the final order.
[Kadam Kiran Sanjay v. Indian Coast Guard, W.P.(C) 4710/2025 with CM APPL. 21684/2025, decided on 2-9-2026]
Advocates who appeared in this case:
For the Petitioner: Mr. Abhinay Sharma, Advocate; Mr. Pooran Chand Roy, Advocate; Ms. Deeksha Prakash, Advocate; Mr. Kartik Rajpurohit, Advocate.
For the Respondents: Mr. Shekhar Kumar, Standing Counsel for the Union of India.