$~84 * IN THE HIGH COURT OF DELHI AT NEW DELHI % Date of Decision : 23.03.2026 + W.P.(C) 3706/2026 CHAUHAN ANIL BHOLA .....Petitioner Through: Mr. Saroj Kumar Singh and Mr. Saurabh Nath, Advocates versus UNION OF INDIA & ORS. .....Respondents Through: Mr. Neeraj, SPC with Mr. Sanjay Pal, Mr. Ajay Pal(CRPF), Mr. Soumyadip Chakraborty, Advocates for Union of India CORAM: HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE V. KAMESWAR RAO HON'BLE MS. JUSTICE MANMEET PRITAM SINGH ARORA V. KAMESWAR RAO, J. (ORAL) 1. This petition has been filed with the following prayers: - “a) give direction to the respondent to select the candidature of the petitioner as early as possible b) Any other order or relief which Hon'ble court may deem fit and proper under the facts and circumstances of the case in the interest of justice.” 2. The petitioner is a resident of Mumbai and had applied for the post of constable/GD in the Central Armed Police Force (‘CAPF’), SSF, and Rifleman in Assam Rifles Examination, 2024. 3. It is a conceded position that his candidature was rejected. It is only through his counsel that he got issued a legal notice dated 27.11.2024. The same was replied to on 11.09.2025 by the CISF Unit RCFL Mumbai. 4. In response to a query raised by this Court on delay in approaching this Court, as well as the reason for not invoking the jurisdiction of the competent court in Maharashtra, learned counsel for the petitioner has given twofold explanation. Firstly, it is submitted that the petitioner received response to the legal notice only on 11.09.2025. Secondly, that the initial notification was issued by the Staff Selection Commission, Lodhi Road, New Delhi, as such part of cause of action has arisen within the territorial jurisdiction of this Court. 5. Mr. Neeraj, Advocate, who appears for the respondents, informs the Court that the challenge in the present petition is to an examination of 2024. Even thereafter, a further notification of 2025 has been issued and the process has been concluded. In other words, it is contended that it is too late for the petitioner to approach this Court challenging his rejection pursuant to the notification for the 2024 examination. 6. We agree with the said submission of the learned counsel for the respondents. This we say so because the cause of action, is the rejection of his candidature, which is coincedingly from Mumbai, Maharashtra, and even the reply to the notice was issued by the CISF Unit at Mumbai. It follows the issuance of the notification, which was pan-India, will not give a cause of action to the petitioner to approach this Court. Even otherwise this Court is not forum convenience to entertain this petition. In any case, the respondents, while answering the legal notice issued on behalf of by the petitioner vide letter dated 11.09.2025, have stated as under: - “2. In this regard, it is to inform that Shri Chauhan Anil Bhola (hereinafter referred to as me petitioner) had applied for Constable/GD in Central Armed Police Force (CAPFs), SSF, and Rifleman (GD) in Assam Rifles Examination 2024. He was issued Admit Card for Roll No. 7204010512 from CRPF Directorate, New Delhi (Nodal Agency) for attending PST/PET & DV/DME on 07.10.2024 at the Recruitment Center, CISF Unit RCFL Mumbai, Maharashtra (400074). 03. Accordingly, he appeared for PST/PET and DV/DME on 07.10.2024 at Recruitment Centre CISF Unit RCFL Mumbai. The petitioner qualified in PST/PET examination. Thereafter, during Document Verification (DV), the petitioner produced OBC Caste Certificate dated 14.12.2023 issued from Tehsildar Kasimabad, Ghazipur, Uttar Pradesh and as per his domicile certificate dated 06.03.2019, he is the resident of Jan Kalyan Samaj Seva Society, Islam Compound, Ghandi Nagar, Near Durga Mata Mandir, Kandivali (West) Mumbai, Maharashtra. 04. In this regard, it is pertinent to mention here that in accordance with laid down guidelines/instructions issued by SSC vide their notification dated 24.11.2023 vide Para 6 (6.2) and Para 20 (5) it clearly mentioned that "A candidate belonging to a caste of SC, ST or OBC category, on migration from one State to another State will have to make an informed choice whether to get the benefit of reservation in the State of origin or to appear as unreserved candidate from the State of Migration. Such choice will have to be exercised by the candidate in the online Application Form. No request for change of such option, after the submission of Application Form, will be entertained by the Commission. In case, a candidate opt to avail the benefit of reservation from the State of origin, he will have to submit information about the District and State of current domicile as well as the District and State of his origin in the Application Form. His candidature in such cases will be considered from the State of origin." 05. Verification Board checked the online form of the petitioner, it was found that the petitioner had marked "NO" in column No. 21.1 of the online form in response to the question regarding "Have you migrated from the State/UT of your origin to another State/UT?" Whereas, he should have mentioned 'Yes' in that column as he is migrated from another State/UT in the Maharashtra. 06. The petitioner was claiming OBC reservation from Maharashtra, then he should typically need to produce a valid OBC certificate issued by the Maharashtra state, which he has not produced, whereas in terms of Directorate General, C.R.P.F. (Recruitment Branch) East Block-07, Level-04, Sector-01, R.K. Puram, New Delhi-110066 (Ministry of Home Affairs) vide letter No.A.VI-1/2024-Rectt(SSB)-CT/GD-2024 Dated 12.09.2024 had given the following instructions/guidelines during the checking of Domicile and caste certificate:- "7.3.4. Domicile Certificate: > As per the Notice of Examination, candidates have to produce Domicile Certificate for the District and State/ UT filled by them in their online application form > No change of Domicile District and State/UT shall be considered at the stage of DV. If there is any variation between District and State/UT in the online application and Domicile Certificate, candidature of such candidates will be REJECTED. > The reserve category candidates who have migrated from the State/ UT of their origin to another State/UT can take the benefit of reservation against the vacancies of the State UT of their origin. > If such candidates want to be considered against vacancies of the migrated State/UT then they will be considered only against the unreserved vacancies of the migrated State UT > Above option has already been exercised by the candidates in their online application form > The reserve category candidates who have migrated from the State/UT of their origin to another State/UT and have chosen to avail benefit of reservation from the State UIT of origin, they have to produce: * Caste/Category certificate from Origin State. * Domicile Certificate of the migrated State/UT," 8. Taking into consideration the case of the petitioner, DV/DME Board had given 07 days’ extra time to submit the required OBC Caste Certificate in the prescribed format issued from his domicile state (Maharashtra), based on his declaration in the online form. The recruitment board had followed the CRPF Directorate instruction/guidelines dated letter No.A.VI-1/2024-Rectt(SSB)-CT/GD-2024 Dated 12.09.2024 (para 6.5.8) and considering the principles of natural justice, a letter (Annexure-"C") was issued to him with direction to produce the Caste certificate in prescribed formate by 14.10.2024 at 10 AM and also informed him that if he will fail to submit required document, his candidature will be finally rejected. The petitioner acknowledged this letter on the same date and time.  09. But, the petitioner failed to produce the OBC Caste certificate in prescribed format issued from domicile state i.e. Maharashtra within stipulated time i.e. on or before 14.10.2024, and hence, his candidature was rejected as per the prescribed guidelines.” 7. In view of the above position, we are of the view that there is no merit in the challenge made by the petitioner in this petition. Accordingly, the petition is dismissed along with pending applications. V. KAMESWAR RAO, J MANMEET PRITAM SINGH ARORA, J MARCH 23, 2026/rhc W.P.(C) 3706/2026 Page 1 of 1