The Sindh Public Service Commission (SPSC) has appealed to the Federal Constitutional Court (FCC) to overturn several interim orders issued by the Sindh High Court (SHC) concerning the Combined Competitive Examination (CCE) 2024. The commission is seeking an immediate revival of the recruitment process, which has been halted due to these legal challenges.
Through three separate petitions filed by advocate Hafiz Ehsan, the SPSC contested the SHC’s interim rulings dated May 14, May 21, June 9, June 17, June 22, and June 30, 2026. The commission argued that the high court overstepped its constitutional authority by hearing these petitions despite the existence of an effective alternative legal remedy under Regulation 161 of the SPSC Recruitment Management Regulations, 2023. It noted that several unsuccessful candidates had already approached the designated forum prior to filing constitutional petitions.
The commission emphasized that the CCE 2024 was conducted in a transparent manner, strictly adhering to legal and regulatory frameworks. A total of 26,742 candidates applied for the exam, with 4,340 appearing for the written test. Only 70 candidates qualified, while 4,270 did not meet the required marks. Furthermore, many of the unsuccessful candidates later passed the screening test for CCE 2025, calling into question the grounds for the ongoing legal challenges.
The petitions highlighted that the interim orders from the SHC have effectively brought the recruitment process to a halt, delaying interviews for qualified candidates and obstructing appointments. The SPSC also argued that the court’s directives for re-evaluating answer scripts and producing confidential exam records violate both the commission’s regulations and established Supreme Court precedents. Additionally, the commission claimed that the ex parte nature of these interim orders infringes upon its constitutional right to a fair hearing.
In a significant development, the petitions also challenged the SHC’s demand for the academic qualifications of the SPSC chairman and commission members, describing this request as unnecessary and beyond the court’s jurisdiction. The commission warned that allowing these interim orders to persist could undermine the autonomy of public service commissions nationwide and encourage unsuccessful candidates to seek judicial re-evaluation of exam results in future recruitment cycles.
The SPSC has urged the FCC to suspend all interim orders issued by the SHC, dismiss all pending cases related to CCE 2024, reinstate the recruitment process, and remove the High Court’s adverse remarks. This would enable appointments to proceed in accordance with the Constitution and applicable recruitment regulations.
