08 April 2024 Elections Law >> Constitution & Law Procedure   |   Education >> Miscellaneous  

A petition seeking to postpone the upcoming Chartered Accountancy (CA) Intermediate and Final Examinations due to scheduling conflicts with the Lok Sabha elections was dismissed by the court. The Petitioners, a group of 27 candidates, argued that the exam dates would hinder their ability to travel, vote, and find accommodation during the election period.

The Petitioners expressed concerns about potential disruptions caused by the elections, including difficulty reaching exam centers, limited transportation options, and a chaotic environment impacting their preparation. They argued that their rights to vote (Article 326) and practice a profession (Article 19(1)(g)) were being infringed upon.

The Respondent, the Institute of Chartered Accountants of India (ICAI), countered that the exam schedule was meticulously crafted to avoid election days and minimize disruption. They highlighted a window provided for candidates to choose exam centers closer to their hometowns to facilitate voting. The ICAI emphasized its confidence in security measures to ensure peaceful elections and argued that serious students could manage any temporary disruptions.

The court acknowledged the challenges faced by some candidates but ruled that these did not justify disrupting the exams for over 436,000 participants. The court commended the ICAI's efforts in scheduling the exams around election dates and emphasized that the responsibility lies with the candidates to adjust their plans accordingly. The court also clarified that it cannot rewrite exam rules to accommodate individual hardships.

While the petition was dismissed, the court left the door open for the ICAI to reschedule the exams at its discretion. The two accompanying applications filed by the Petitioners were also dismissed.