Punjab & Haryana High Court, Chandigarh
CitationAIR 1967 SC 1071
CourtSupreme Court of India
Date24 January 1967
Year1967
BenchK. Subba Rao CJI, J.C. Shah, R.S. Bachawat JJ.
Acts/ArticlesArticle 14, Article 16
CategoryConstitutional Law, Service & Employment Law

Key Principle Established

Seniority of government servants must be determined as per the rules prevailing at the time of appointment. Seniority cannot be altered retrospectively to the prejudice of employees.

Brief Facts

Government servants challenged alteration of their seniority position which was changed retrospectively by the State, prejudicing their promotion prospects.

Ratio Decidendi

The Supreme Court held that seniority must be determined according to the rules in force at the time of appointment. The State cannot retrospectively alter seniority to the detriment of employees who have been working under legitimate expectations created by the existing rules.

Impact & Significance

This judgment is the foundational authority on protection of seniority rights and the prohibition against retrospective alteration of service conditions to the prejudice of employees.

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Disclaimer

This judgment summary is for educational and research purposes. While care has been taken to accurately represent the ratio and findings, for authoritative reference always consult the original judgment text from official sources (SCC Online, AIR, Manupatra, or court websites).

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