Himachal Pradesh News
Himachal Pradesh High Court Stays Assistant Staff Nurse Recruitment, Bars Government from Issuing Fresh Joining Orders
In a major development affecting the healthcare recruitment process in Himachal Pradesh, the High Court has put a temporary hold on the appointment of assistant staff nurses and directed the state government not to issue any further joining orders to selected candidates.
In a major development affecting the healthcare recruitment process in Himachal Pradesh, the High Court has put a temporary hold on the appointment of assistant staff nurses and directed the state government not to issue any further joining orders to selected candidates.
The decision was taken by a Division Bench comprising Chief Justice Gurmeet Singh Sandhawalia and Justice Bipin Chander Negi. The court observed that the recruitment process appeared to have been carried out without making necessary amendments to the statutory recruitment rules.
Court Says Recruitment Cannot Proceed Only on Government Policy
During the hearing, the state government argued that the recruitment process was based on an existing government policy. However, the High Court rejected this argument and stated that appointments cannot be made outside the framework of legally notified recruitment rules.
The Bench also highlighted that the government had not clearly defined the pay scales for the proposed assistant staff nurse appointments. According to the court, creating a new category of employees without proper legal and statutory approval raises serious concerns.
The court stated that it had no option but to stay the appointment orders as they were made without compliance with the existing service rules.
High Court Seeks Details of Outsourced Recruitment Across Departments
The High Court has directed the Himachal Pradesh government to submit a detailed affidavit explaining how many outsourced employees were recruited in different departments over the last three years and how many regular vacancies are available in those departments.
The Health Secretary has also been asked to clarify whether a new cadre can legally be created without amending recruitment and promotion rules and whether such employees can be considered validly appointed.
Outsourced Employees in Himachal Increased Significantly
According to an affidavit filed by the Principal Secretary (Finance), the number of outsourced workers in the state increased from 17,114 to 26,724 after fresh verification.
The Finance Department informed the court that outsourcing under Rule 112 of the Himachal Pradesh Financial Rules, 2009, was meant only as a temporary and need-based arrangement. It emphasized that outsourcing should not become a permanent method of government employment and that no fresh outsourcing should take place without prior approval from the Finance Department.
Several Departments Under Scanner Over Outsourced Hiring
The High Court noted that outsourced appointments continued in multiple departments despite ongoing legal proceedings. Significant increases were reported in departments including Health Services, Ayush, Higher Education, Tourism and Civil Aviation, Rural Development, Agriculture, Language, Art and Culture, and Women and Child Development.
The court also observed that some outsourced appointments had been continuing since the year 2000, while new engagements were made even in 2026.
Next Hearing Scheduled for July 7
The High Court clarified that although the Supreme Court had earlier allowed outsourced arrangements to continue by vacating interim stays on March 17, 2025, that restriction did not prevent it from examining the legality of the assistant staff nurse recruitment.
With the recruitment process now halted, the matter will come up for further hearing before the High Court on July 7, and the state government is expected to provide detailed explanations regarding its hiring practices.
