New Delhi, Jun 14 (IANS): The Supreme Court on Friday issued notice on a plea filed by the National Testing Agency (NTA) seeking the transfer of a petition pending before the Delhi Court pertaining to an alleged NEET (UG) paper leak to the apex court.

Agreeing to examine NTA’s transfer plea, a vacation bench of the apex court presided over by Justice Vikram Nath sought the response of the candidate who had instituted a writ petition before the Delhi HC alleging a paper leak and posted it for hearing on July 8.

The Bench, also comprising Justice Sandeep Mehta, allowed the withdrawal of other transfer petitions filed by NTA seeking transfer of writ petitions pending before various high courts pertaining to the award of compensatory marks in view of its earlier order passed on Thursday.

“The counsel of petitioner (NTA) states that the petitions pending before the High Court relate to the award of compensatory marks and in such event be permitted to withdraw the (transfer) petitions and place before the High Court the order passed yesterday i.e. on 13th June,” noted the apex court.

In an order passed on June 13, the Supreme Court decided to close the issue relating to the grant of grace marks in the NEET (UG) exam after NTA submitted the scorecards of 1,563 candidates, who were awarded compensatory marks on account of the loss of time, had been withdrawn and cancelled.

These candidates were given an option to appear in a re-test to be held on June 23 or may appear in counselling on the basis of actual marks obtained in the exam without normalisation.

Before the Delhi High Court, Solicitor General (SG) Tushar Mehta on Wednesday submitted that NTA would file a transfer plea before the Supreme Court to consolidate all related petitions for a unified hearing.