Orissa High Court has set aside the February 26 order of State Administrative Tribunal (SAT) and asked the Orissa Public Service Commission (OPSC) to go ahead with the viva voce test of remaining successful Orissa Civil Service-2006 candidates.

A division bench of the High Court comprising Justice B P Das and Justice B K Naik, which had reserved its verdict after completing the hearing, pronounced the judgment yesterday giving the relief to successful candidates who have been waiting for five years for completion of the examination.

The tribunal had slapped a stay on the ongoing viva voce test by the OPSC last month terming that the Committee of the Commission conducting the viva voce test was incomplete.

Adjudicating over a batch of petitions, the tribunal had pointed out that the Commission, while conducting the viva voce test, had only two members, including an acting chairman instead of a chairman and five members.

However, the High Court said the Committee was not incomplete as, at the time of the viva voce test, there were only two members, including the acting chairman, and both the members were present in the committee while the remaining posts of the members were lying vacant.

The court also directed the OPSC to proceed on with the viva voce by giving notice to the rest of successful candidates who have not been interviewed.