Chandigarh, May 24 -- The Punjab and Haryana high court (HC) has quashed the 2019 notification of the Haryana government, which gave an additional 10 marks on the basis of socio- economic criterion for employment in vacancies advertised by the state in Group B and C posts.

The HC bench of justice Sanjeev Prakash and justice Meenakshi I Mehta said, "By carving out artificial class of applicants, who would be entitled to 5 bonus marks, the principles enshrined under Article 16 would stand violated. No other reservation except the one as available under Article 15 and 16 of the Constitution can be laid down by any state," the bench said.

Lawyers associated with the case said at least five categories of employees' recruitment were under cha...