Jammu, 15 July (H.S.): A Bench of Central Administrative Tribunal (CAT) comprising Rajinder Dogra and Ram Mohan Johri has stayed the operation of the relevant provisions of the Jammu and Kashmir Revenue (Subordinate) Service Recruitment Rules of 2009, insofar as they mandate Graduation with knowledge of Urdu as the minimum qualification for the post of Naib Tehsildar.

The CAT further directed the Jammu and Kashmir Services Selection Board (SSB) to accept applications for the post of Naib Tehsildar from candidates who possess Graduation with knowledge of any of the five official languages enumerated in the Jammu and Kashmir Official Languages Act, 2020, which includes Hindi, Kashmiri, English, Dogri and Urdu.

This landmark order has been passed in petition filed by Rajesh Singh and others.

After hearing Senior Advocate Abhinav Sharma with Advocate Abhirash Sharma for the applicants whereas AAGs Rajesh Thappa, Sudesh Magotra and Deputy AG Hunar Gupta for the UT, the CAT observed, “we are of the considered view that the provisions of the Jammu and Kashmir Revenue (Subordinate) Service Recruitment Rules of 2009, to the extent it mandates Urdu as the exclusive language qualification, prima facie appears to be discriminatory, especially in light of the provisions of the Jammu and Kashmir Official Languages Act, 2020”.

“This court hereby stays the operation of the relevant provisions of the Jammu and Kashmir Revenue (Subordinate) Service Recruitment Rules of 2009, insofar as they mandate Graduation with knowledge of Urdu as the minimum qualification for the post of Naib Tehsildar”, read the order. Further, the Jammu and Kashmir Services Selection Board (SSB) has been directed to accept applications for the post of Naib Tehsildar from candidates who possess Graduation with knowledge of any of the five official languages enumerated in the Jammu and Kashmir Official Languages Act, 2020, which includes Hindi, Kashmiri, English, Dogri, and Urdu.

The CAT also issued notices to the respondents with the direction to file their reply within four weeks from the date of this order and directed to list the matter on August 13, 2025.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Krishan Kumar