DIMAPUR, JUL 9 (NPN): The Supreme Court on Thursday directed the parties to maintain status quo in the recruitment process for 46 Excise constable posts in Nagaland while issuing notice on a Special Leave Petition (Civil) challenging the Gauhati High Court, Kohima Bench’s judgment that had allowed the State government to proceed with the selection process.
A Bench comprising Justice Ahsanuddin Amanullah and Justice Sheel Nagu passed the order on July 7 while hearing SLP (Civil) No. 22477/2026, filed by T. Akon Phom and others against the State of Nagaland and others, arising out of the Gauhati High Court’s June 23, 2026 judgment in Writ Appeal No. 39/2025.
After issuing notice to the respondents, the apex court directed that the status quo, as existing on July 7, 2026, in all respects, shall be maintained by the parties until the next date of hearing. The matter has been listed for further hearing on August 31, 2026.
In its June 23 judgment, a Division Bench of the Gauhati High Court, Kohima Bench, comprising Justice Nelson Sailo and Justice Pranjal Das, had upheld the Excise department’s decision to include a written examination in the recruitment process for the 46 Excise constable posts.
Allowing the State government’s appeal, the Bench set aside the October 2025 order of a single judge that had quashed the written test, thereby clearing the way for completion of the recruitment process.
The litigation stems from objections raised by a group of aspiring candidates, who alleged procedural irregularities in the recruitment conducted by the Departmental Recruitment Board (DRB) of the Excise department.
In representations submitted to the commissioner of excise & prohibition and shared with the media, the candidates sought corrective measures, contending that the recruitment process was not in conformity with the Nagaland Excise Service (Revised) Rules, 1999.
