lalita meena vs HOME AFFAIRS

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OA No.4288/2026
Item No. 16 (C-3)
CENTRAL ADMINISTRATIVE TRIBUNAL
PRINCIPAL BENCH, NEW DELHI

OA No. 4288/2026

th
This the 28 Day of October, 2026

Hon’ble Ms. Harvinder Kaur Oberoi, Member (J)
Hon’ble Dr. Sumeet Jerath, Member (A)

LALITA MEENA,
D/O MR. SHARVAN LAL,
R/O AJABGARH, HADI KA BAS, NATATA, JAIPUR.

.…Applicant

(By Advocate : Mr. Somnath Bhattacharya with Mr. Pradeep Tripathi)

VERSUS
1. UNION OF INDIA THROUGH ITS THE SECRETARY, MINISTRY OF
HOME AFFAIRS, NORTH BLOCK, NEW DELHI-110001.

2. STAFF SELECTION COMMISSION, THROUGH CHAIRMAN BLOCK NO
12 CGO COMPLEX LODHI ROAD NEW DELHI-110003

3. THE COMMISSIONER OF POLICE DELHI POLICE POLICE
HEADQARTER JAI SINGH ROAD, NEW DELHI 110001

4. DEPUTY COMMISSIONER OF POLICE, RECRUITMENT CELL, DELHI
POLICE, NEW POLICE LINES, KINGSWAY CAMP, DELHI-110009.



.... RESPONDENTS

[By Advocate :Mr. Vaishnav Kirti Singh]

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OA No.4288/2026
Item No. 16 (C-3)
ORDER (ORAL)

Hon’ble Ms. Harvinder Kaur Oberoi, Member (J)
The applicant has filed the present Original Application challenging her
exclusion from the recruitment process for the post of Constable (Executive)
Female, Delhi Police Examination, 2025, on the ground that her height was
recorded as 154.6 cm during the Physical Endurance and Measurement Test
(PE&MT) conducted on 20.08.2026.
2. Learned counsel for the applicant submits that the applicant belongs to the
Scheduled Tribe (ST) category and was shortlisted for the PE&MT/DV stage after
securing the requisite normalized marks in the Computer Based Examination. It is
submitted that the applicant successfully completed the prescribed physical
endurance events, including race, long jump and high jump. However, at the stage
of physical measurement, her height was recorded as 154.6 cm, resulting in her
exclusion from the recruitment process.
3. Learned counsel for the applicant further submits that, immediately after the
aforesaid measurement, the applicant got her height medically verified at a
Government medical facility at Jaipur. The Chief Medical Officer, Jaipur, vide
certificate dated 22.08.2026, recorded her height as 155 cm. It is contended that
the discrepancy between the measurement recorded by the respondents and the
subsequent Government medical certificate raises a bona fide doubt regarding the
correctness of the measurement conducted during the PE&MT. The applicant is
stated to have submitted a representation dated 22.08.2026 seeking fresh and
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OA No.4288/2026
Item No. 16 (C-3)
independent measurement of her height, along with an opportunity of personal
hearing; however, her grievance has not been effectively redressed.
4. Learned counsel for the applicant also submits that the applicant had been
declared qualified in the height measurement conducted during the recruitment
examination in the year 2021, when her height was recorded as 155.5 cm. It is
further contended that the applicant is not seeking any relaxation or concession
beyond the prescribed recruitment standards but is only seeking an independent
and fair determination of her actual height. Reliance has been placed upon the
decisions of this Tribunal in O.A. No. 3670/2024, Ashok Kumar Saini v. Union of
India & Ors. , decided on 20.09.2024, and O.A. No. 4003/2026, M.S. Soni Devi v.
Union of India , decided on 13.10.2026, as well as the judgment of the Hon’ble
High Court of Delhi in Staff Selection Commission & Ors. v. Aman Singh , 2024
SCC OnLine Del 7600.
5. Per contra, learned counsel for the respondents opposes the relief sought by
the applicant and submits that the physical measurement was conducted by the
competent authorities in accordance with the prescribed recruitment procedure and
applicable standards. It is contended that the applicant was found short of the
requisite height during the PE&MT and, therefore, her exclusion cannot be faulted
merely on the basis of a subsequent medical certificate obtained independently.
The respondents maintain that the prescribed eligibility conditions are required to
be applied uniformly to all candidates and that no departure therefrom can be
permitted except as provided under the applicable recruitment rules.
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OA No.4288/2026
Item No. 16 (C-3)
6. We have considered the submissions made by learned counsel for the parties
and perused the material placed on record.
7. The prescribed minimum height for female candidates is stated to be 157
cm, with a relaxation of 2 cm available to candidates belonging to the Scheduled
Tribe category, subject to the applicable recruitment rules. In the case of the
applicant, the measurement recorded during the PE&MT is 154.6 cm, whereas the
subsequent certificate issued by the Chief Medical Officer, Jaipur, records her
height as 155 cm. The applicant has thus raised a specific dispute regarding the
correctness of a physical measurement which is capable of objective verification.
8. In these circumstances, without expressing any opinion on the applicant’s
ultimate eligibility or the merits of her candidature, we are of the considered view
that the discrepancy in the recorded measurements may be examined through a
fresh and independent measurement by a duly constituted Medical/Physical
Measurement Board at a Government hospital. Such an exercise would not amount
to granting any relaxation in the prescribed standards; rather, it would ensure that
the applicant’s candidature is assessed on the basis of an objectively verified
measurement and in accordance with the applicable recruitment rules.
9. Accordingly, the present Original Application is disposed of with the
following directions:
(i) The respondents shall produce and preserve the original PE&MT record
pertaining to the applicant, including the physical measurement sheet and any
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OA No.4288/2026
Item No. 16 (C-3)
rejection slip or contemporaneous record indicating the basis on which her height
was recorded as 154.6 cm.
(ii) The respondents shall arrange for a fresh measurement of the applicant’s height
by a duly constituted Medical/Physical Measurement Board at a Government
hospital, after giving her prior notice of the date, time and venue of such
measurement.
(iii) The fresh measurement shall be conducted objectively, both digitally and
manually, in accordance with the prescribed procedure, and the results of both
measurements shall be duly recorded. The applicant shall be informed of the
outcome.
(iv) In the event the applicant establishes that she belongs to the Scheduled Tribe
category, the respondents shall consider and extend the admissible relaxation of 2
cm in accordance with the applicable recruitment rules and the relevant
examination notice.
(v) The respondents shall thereafter consider the applicant’s candidature in
accordance with the applicable eligibility conditions, recruitment rules and merit
position. It is clarified that the present order does not confer any automatic right to
appointment upon the applicant.
10. The aforesaid exercise shall be completed, as far as practicable, within a
period of four weeks from the date of receipt of a certified copy of this order.
11. It is clarified that the prescribed minimum height for female candidates is
157 cm, with a relaxation of 2 cm available to candidates belonging to the
Scheduled Tribe (ST) category, subject to the applicable recruitment rules. The
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OA No.4288/2026
Item No. 16 (C-3)
applicant’s height shall be measured both digitally and manually to ensure
accuracy. In the event the applicant establishes her claim of belonging to the ST
category, the respondents shall extend the admissible relaxation in accordance with
the applicable rules.
12. There shall be no order as to costs.



(Dr. Sumeet Jerath) (Harvinder Kaur Oberoi)
Member (A) Member (J)

/arti/







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