A Bench of Justices B N Aggrawal and G S Singhvi posted the matter for hearing on February 2.

In an appeal filed before the apex court, the UP government contended that the High Court had erroneously quashed the constitution of the panel, despite the fact that the probe by the committee indicted several top IPS officials for illegal appointments.

According to the state government, the inquiry committee was set up after a high-powered committee headed by the chief secretary indicted several top IPS officials and others for the alleged irregularities.

“A perusal of the report of the chief secretary will demonstrate that this was a case of gross irregularities, nepotism and favouritism in the selection process. The eligible candidates were thrown out and ineligible candidates were accommodated on extraneous consideration. Therefore, the state government discharged its constitutional duty by constituting a committee. The entire cabinet deliberated upon the issue and took a conscious decision to constitute the committee. The committee has already submitted its report to the state government and the same has already been acted upon,” the state submitted in its petition.

According to the UP government, the High Court ought to have considered that gross irregularities and illegalities were found in the selections made by 42 recruitment boards in 2004-05 when Mulayam Singh Yadav was the chief minister.