The Orissa High Court has asked the Odisha government to clarify its stand on concerns related to outsourcing police recruitment examinations. The direction came while hearing a public interest litigation alleging irregularities in the recruitment process for 862 police sub-inspector posts, which is currently under investigation by the Central Bureau of Investigation.
The division bench made strong observations on the need for transparency and fairness in public recruitment. The court noted that the issue raises serious concerns about the integrity of the selection process and the decision to hand over the recruitment exercise to a private agency.
Court Observations on Police Recruitment Process
The matter was heard by a division bench comprising Chief Justice Harish Tandon and Justice M S Raman. During the hearing, the court was informed that arrests had already been made in connection with the alleged irregularities. It was also stated before the bench that the entire recruitment process was entrusted to a private company.
The bench observed that public employment recruitment must follow strict standards of fairness, transparency, and impartiality. The court noted that recent incidents highlight the need to prevent scams and leakage of confidential information during recruitment exercises.
In its order dated December 22, 2025, which was uploaded on December 30, 2025, the court stated that the government must take a conscious and well-reasoned decision while conducting recruitment drives in any department. The bench emphasised that such decisions are necessary to eliminate any scope of malpractice or public distrust.
Directions Issued by Orissa High Court
The Orissa High Court directed the Odisha government to file a detailed affidavit explaining its position on outsourcing the recruitment examination. The state government has been asked to submit its response by January 15, 2026.
The court also granted time to the petitioner, advocate Shivsankar Mohanty, to file a rejoinder, if required, by January 22, 2026. The matter has been listed for further hearing on January 27, 2026.
The public interest litigation specifically challenges the recruitment process adopted for filling police sub-inspector vacancies and questions the role of private agencies in such a sensitive exercise.
Background of Odisha Police SI Recruitment Controversy
The controversy came to light on September 30, 2025, when a case was registered at Golanthara police station in Berhampur following a tip-off regarding irregularities. After the registration of the case, the Odisha Police Recruitment Board postponed the sub-inspector recruitment examination, which was initially scheduled for October 5 and 6, 2025.
The PIL pointed out that the police department already has a dedicated recruitment cell with sufficient manpower. Despite this, the recruitment process was outsourced to a private agency. The petitioner argued that outsourcing a process that requires a high degree of secrecy should be avoided, especially for police recruitment.
State Government Response Awaited
Appearing on behalf of the state authorities, additional government advocate Saswat Das sought time to file the government’s response. The court allowed the request and fixed the timeline for submission of the affidavit. The outcome of the case is expected to have wider implications for future recruitment processes conducted by state departments in Odisha.
