Pranaya Kishore Harichandan Vs Union of India And Others (Orissa High Court)
Orissa High Court has initiated proceedings to scrutinize the selection process for Judicial Members of the Goods and Services Tax Appellate Tribunal (GSTAT), following a petition challenging the procedure adopted by the Search-cum-Selection Committee. The court has issued a notice to the Union of India and others, and, as an interim measure, has directed that while the selection process may continue, no final decision on appointments shall be taken until the next hearing.
The petitioner, Pranaya Kishore Harichandan, a candidate for the post of Judicial Member, has assailed the Committee’s method of evaluating and recommending names. According to the petitioner, he submitted his candidature in response to a press release dated February 15, 2024, for the GSTAT Judicial Member positions. His name was subsequently shortlisted, and he was called for a personal interaction with the Search-cum-Selection Committee.
However, the petitioner later learned that the Committee had issued fresh intimations to only a select few candidates from the previously shortlisted pool, inviting them for a “further personal interaction” scheduled for May 31, 2025. The petitioner, despite having appeared in the initial personal interaction, was not called for this subsequent round, leading to his challenge before the High Court.
