Supreme Court Halts Nagaland Excise Constable Hiring

Kohima: The Supreme Court ordered a freeze on the recruitment of 46 Excise constables in Nagaland. Justices Ahsanuddin Amanullah and Sheel Nagu directed all parties to maintain the status quo as of July 7, 2026. The high court had previously cleared the path for the state to finish the hiring process. This latest move puts the matter on ice.

T. Akon Phom and other petitioners challenged a June 23 decision from the Gauhati High Court, Kohima Bench. That judgment overturned a single judge order from October 2025 that initially struck down the department's written test. The Supreme Court issued a notice on the Special Leave Petition and scheduled the next hearing for August 31, 2026.

Aspiring candidates filed the challenge after claiming the Departmental Recruitment Board bungled the process. These candidates argued the selection failed to follow the "Nagaland Excise Service (Revised) Rules, 1999." The recruitment remains stalled until the court rules otherwise.