Kohima: The Supreme Court reserved its judgment on September 23 regarding the contentious recruitment of Excise Constables in Nagaland. Justices Prashant Kumar Mishra and Shree Chandrashekhar heard arguments over a dispute triggered by the State Excise and Prohibition Department. The court ruled that, "Reserved for judgment/orders. The parties are at liberty to file written submissions within one week from today."
The trouble started on April 7, 2025. The state posted an ad for 40 jobs, later bumping that number to 46. The original plan relied on physical and suitability tests. However, a June 4, 2025, corrigendum added a written exam to the mix. Candidates sued, claiming the state changed the rules mid-game. A single bench of the Gauhati High Court Kohima Bench agreed, tossing the new exam requirement on October 16, 2025.
The state refused to fold. They appealed the decision, and a division bench sided with them on June 23, 2026. The judges ruled the 1999 Nagaland Excise Service Rules were vague enough to allow the board to pick its own methods. They ordered the state to finish the hiring process immediately. This led to a petition before the Supreme Court. The top court ordered a status quo on July 7, 2026, which stayed in effect until the latest hearing.
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