The Allahabad High Court has made it clear that candidates cannot be deprived of appearing in the Assistant Prosecution Officer (APO) Main Examination merely on technical grounds if they had dispatched the printout of the online application along with the requisite documents before the prescribed cut-off date.
Granting interim relief, the court directed that such candidates be provisionally permitted to appear in the APO (Main) examination commencing from June 28, 2026, subject to the production of proof regarding the timely dispatch of documents.
The order was passed by Justice Siddharth Nandan while disposing of the interim relief application filed by Jyoti Gautam and other connected writ petitions.
Counsel appearing for the petitioners submitted that the Assistant Prosecution Officer (Mains) Examination is scheduled to commence on June 28, 2026, and the petitioners should be allowed to participate in the ensuing examination in the interest of justice.
Accepting the plea, the Court observed, “as an interim measure it is provided that subject to the production of evidence, before the Commission, regarding valid proof of dispatch of the printout of the online application, along with requisite documents either by speed post/registered post or by courier, before the cut off date i.e. 29.05.2026, within a period of 24 hours from today, the Commission shall complete the formalities and issue admit cards, to enable the petitioners to appear in the Assistant Prosecution Officer (Mains) Examination provisionally, subject to the outcome of the present writ petition.”
Read also: Allahabad HC Grants Bail, Says Accused Cannot Be Kept Behind Bars Indefinitely
The Court further directed that “the Commission shall open a separate window for deposit of the proof of dispatch and print out of the online application along with requisite documents, to enable the petitioners to submit the same within a period provided herein above.”
In another significant direction, the Bench held that “the print out of this order, from the official website of this Court shall be considered by the Commission, without insisting for the certified copies, from all the petitioners in connected writ petitions, as well; however, Commission can verify the orders themselves from the official website, if they so desire.”
With these directions, the Court disposed of the interim relief application while making it clear that the participation of the petitioners in the APO (Main) Examination would remain subject to the final outcome of the writ petitions.
Case: Jyoti Gautam vs State of U.P. and 4 Others
Case No: Writ – A No. – 9235 of 2026
Date of Order: 22.06.2026
Status: Disposed of
