Himachal Pradesh High Court Halts Recruitment of 900 Assistant Staff Nurses

The Himachal Pradesh High Court has issued an immediate stay on the recruitment of 900 Assistant Staff Nurses, citing a lack of alignment with existing statutory recruitment rules. A Division Bench led by the Chief Justice has directed the state government to cease issuing appointment letters and prohibited selected candidates from joining, pending further judicial review.

The court criticized the state government for creating a new healthcare cadre without amending formal recruitment frameworks. Judicial observations highlighted that the state is bypassing regular recruitment channels despite over 1,500 vacant sanctioned nursing posts. Furthermore, the court expressed alarm at the rapid rise in outsourced personnel—now reaching 26,724 across government departments—contrary to financial rules that designate outsourcing as a temporary stop-gap measure.

The state government must now provide a comprehensive affidavit by July 7, 2026, detailing all outsourced appointments made over the last three years. The court has also questioned the necessity of senior health officials undertaking foreign travel during a period of declared fiscal constraints, signaling a strict oversight stance on both administrative procedures and public spending.