RANCHI, Aug. 22 -- The Jharkhand high court on Friday stayed the operation of the August 18 notification which abruptly cancelled all appointments of candidates appointed for graduate-level jobs in December last year after qualifying Combine Graduate Level (CGL) recruitment examinations organised by the Jharkhand Staff Selection Commission (JSSC) and Child Development Project Officers (CDPO) who had got appointment letters in April this year after after qualifying the recruitment examination organised by the Jharkhand Public Service Commission (JPSC). A single-judge bench comprising Justice Deepak Roshan passed the interim order while hearing a writ petition filed by Ramesh Oraon and others. The petitioners approached the court after the state's notification suddenly disengaged their services. Representing the petitioners, a legal team led by Senior Advocate Indrajit Sinha along with Amritansh Vats, Ankit Vishal, and others argued that the state had summarily dismissed duly appointed employees without following any due process or natural justice. On the other hand, the State's Advocate General (AG), Rohitashya Roy, along with senior Additional Advocate General (AAG) Achyut Keshav, defended the cancellation. The state contended that a Crime Investigation Department (CID) probe had been launched following allegations of "mass bungling" in the examination process. The HC observed that regular employment cannot be terminated arbitrarily without giving the affected parties a fair hearing. In his order, Justice Deepak Roshan noted: "This Court is prima facie of the view that a regular appointment cannot be disturbed/terminated without following principles of natural justice. The impugned order does not reflect any materials which can justify these drastic steps taken by the respondents." Highlighting that the balance of convenience lies firmly with the disengaged employees, the HC further stated: "The interest of justice and balance of convenience is paramount and in the instant case, the balance of convenience is in favour of the petitioners; inasmuch as, in effect they have been terminated without following any due process of law. Further, operation of this notification is also against public interest." The HC directed the AG to inform the concerned state departments to allow the petitioners, alongside all other similarly affected individuals, to continue their work until the writ application is fully disposed of. "It is made clear that the learned Advocate General is directed to inform the concerned department to allow the petitioners as well as others, who are similarly situated and affected by this notification, to continue their work till disposal of the writ application," the order reads. The HC also directed the petitioners to file an undertaking agreeing that the final judgment of the criminal trial court handling the recruitment scam will be binding on them. "Looking to the overall facts and circumstances of the case, all the petitioners are directed to file an affidavit/undertaking to the effect that the final order passed by the trial court in the connected criminal case shall be binding on them and the Government would be free to take appropriate action in accordance with law," the high court order reads. The State government has been directed to submit its detailed counter-affidavit by September 7 with the next hearing scheduled for September 15. "Learned counsel for the respondents are directed to file a counter-affidavit on or before 07.09.2026, also indicating the investigation and/or any further development. List this case on 15.09.2026 at 12:15 PM," the order reads....