Puja Khedkar, a former IAS trainee officer whose candidacy was revoked for allegedly misusing her powers, has challenged the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC)'s decision to disqualify her. In her filing before the Delhi High Court, Khedkar argued that the UPSC lacks the authority to disqualify her once she was selected and appointed as a probationer.

Khedkar contends that the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT), under the All India Services Act of 1954, holds the sole authority to take action against her as per Rule 19 of the Civil Services Examination (CSE) 2022 Rules.

On July 31, the UPSC canceled her provisional selection and barred her from future exams, citing misuse of power and violations of the CSE 2022 rules, including accusations of identity manipulation. The Commission also lodged a criminal case against her for alleged cheating, fraud, and forgery.

Khedkar, however, has denied the charges, claiming she never falsified her identity. In her response, she highlighted that her biometric data and fingerprints were verified during multiple personality tests, and her name remained consistent in official documents from 2012 to 2022.

Khedkar’s candidacy issues arose after she reportedly exhausted her attempts under the OBC quota using the name 'Puja Diliprao Khedkar'. In 2021-22, she appeared for the exam under both the OBC and PwBD (Persons with Benchmark Disabilities) quotas, this time under the name ‘Puja Manorama Dilip Khedkar’, securing a rank of 821. She has now turned to the Delhi High Court to challenge the UPSC's actions against her.