NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court has stayed the High Court verdict canceling the PSC rank list for the appointment of KSEB meter readers. A bench comprising Justices BR Gavai and PS Narasimha observed that higher educational qualification is not a disqualification. The order is a relief to around two hundred people who got the appointment.

The court also directed to send notices to the opposite parties including the state government and PSC and to reply within six weeks.

The High Court canceled the rank list and the appointment stating that only those who have obtained the National Trade Certificate are eligible for the post. The court direcred to revise the rank list and re-publish it.

Against this, the engineering degree and diploma holders who joined the meter reader jobs approached the Supreme Court through lawyers V Chidambaresh and PN Ravindran. The petitioners pointed out that they are in a situation of losing jobs due to the High Court order. At the same time, the National Trade Certificate (NTC) holders had filed a petition. The court ordered to send notice to them also.

In the PSC notification, passing Class 8 and National Trade Certificate from ITI were mentioned as criteria. But the NTC qualified persons approached the High Court alleging that degree and diploma holders were also appointed as meter readers.