Thiruvananthapuram: The Kerala Administrative Tribunal (KAT) has stayed the ranked list published by the Kerala Public Service Commission (PSC) for the post of Police Constable (Mounted Police) and ordered an inquiry into allegations of procedural lapses and discrimination during the practical test.

The tribunal issued the stay order based on a petition filed by Abhimaneu A S, a 26-year-old candidate from Thiruvananthapuram, who challenged the validity of the rank list, claiming serious procedural lapses and discrimination during the riding test held on April 29.

Abhimaneu, who belongs to the Hindu Viswakarma OBC community, had cleared both the written exam and the physical efficiency test. He was disqualified solely on the basis of his practical test performance.

In his petition, he alleged that the horse assigned to him became restless due to nearby feeding activities, affecting his performance. The same horse was used for other candidates, some of whom faced similar issues. He also claimed that the horse handler helped certain candidates by making familiar guiding sounds, while refusing to assist others like him. This, he argued, amounted to unfair treatment.

He further stated that the PSC did not enforce rules on riding gear uniformly. While he wore the required gear, such as breeches, riding chaps, and a helmet, some candidates who came without the gear were allowed to use items provided at the venue.

Abhimaneu said he raised the issue with PSC officials at the test site and later filed a formal complaint, but received no response. On June 3, he was informed via his PSC profile that he had not qualified. The rank list published the next day did not include his name.

He also submitted complaints to the Director General of Police, the Home Secretary, and the PSC Chairman, alleging that he was unfairly denied marks in the viva and grooming segments despite performing well. He asked for the video recordings of the test to be reviewed, claiming they would support his allegations.

The petition seeks to cancel the current list and conduct a fresh practical test under fair and equal conditions. Advocates Bindu Sankara Pillai and Rahul P appeared for the petitioner.