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University of Delhi and Ors. vs. Pardeep and Ors. and connected matters

Letters Patent Appeal · 2026:DHC:8131-DBDecided 16 Sept 2026New Delhi Bench
LPA 482/2025, LPA 483/2025, LPA 486/2025CNR: DLHC010509952025
Chief Justice Devendra Kumar Upadhyaya · Justice Tejas Karia

Background

Following a February 2021 advertisement for Laboratory Attendant and Library Attendant posts, the University of Delhi placed selected candidates' joining on hold in 2023 pending review of the selection process. The affected candidates successfully challenged this before a Single Judge, who quashed the University's notifications and directed their appointment. The University appealed all three matters together, since they raised identical facts.

Decision Breakdown

The Division Bench noted that an identical challenge in a related case (LPA 440/2025, concerning the same advertisement and notifications) had already been decided in the University's favour in an earlier judgment, University of Delhi & Anr. v. Deepak & Ors. Since all three appeals raised the same facts and the same challenged notifications, the Bench allowed all three appeals in terms of that earlier ruling and set aside the Single Judge's order in each case.

Lesson Learnt

Where several parallel cases raise identical facts and legal issues, courts will simply apply the ruling in the lead case to dispose of the connected matters, so the outcome of one "test case" appeal can determine the fate of several others.

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