#lateral entry

The Allahabad High Court has ruled that service rendered in a Group A post must be fully counted toward qualifying service for promotion, even when the total is short by just 39 days, affirming that rigid application of cutoff dates undermines the spirit of lateral entry and equitable career progression in public service. This sets a critical precedent for thousands of officers transitioning between central departments under DOPT norms.

CAT Jammu rules that permanent absorption in a post mandating Public Service Commission selection cannot bypass statutory recruitment rules, even for employees with long temporary service. The judgment reinforces that lateral entry or absorption must comply with prescribed selection processes, impacting government hiring policies and service law compliance.