As many as 1,137 qualified candidates of 27th BCS exams have got back their jobs as the Appellate Division on Thursday restored a High Court verdict that declared illegal the cancellation of the results of their first viva voce.
The apex court also ordered the government to appoint them in the public service within 90 days.
The court allowed three separate review petitions filed on behalf of the candidates challenging its earlier verdict that scrapped the HC ruling.
A five-member bench of the apex court, headed by Chief Justice Dr Syed Refaat Ahmed, delivered the verdict after hearing arguments on the petitions.
Lawyers Md Salahuddin Dolon and Mohammad Shishir Manir appeared in the court hearing on behalf of the petitioners, while Additional Attorney General Aneeq R Haque represented the state.
After the court order, Shishir Manir told the journalists that the 1,137 qualified BCS candidates were allowed to join their jobs with seniority in 90 days' time.
During the tenure of the then caretaker government, the Public Service Commission (PSC) cancelled the first viva voce results on 01 July 2007.
The cancellation followed charges of gross irregularities, including question leaks and corruption, of the PSC on several occasions regarding the viva voce, in which 3,567 candidates succeeded.
On 03 July 2008, an HC bench in a verdict declared the cancellation of the first viva voce results legal.
On the other hand, another bench on 11 November 2009 declared illegal the cancellation of the same.
Later, some candidates filed appeal petitions against the first bench's verdict. However, the government filed appeal petitions against the second bench's verdict.
Upon hearing the appeal petitions, the apex court on 11 July 2010 said holding the second viva voce was a right decision.
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