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The Chhattisgarh High Court struck down a 2014 forest-department circular that put transferred forest guards at the bottom of seniority lists, holding that statutory recruitment rules and constitutional equality cannot be overridden by executive orders. The ruling safeguards seniority rights of forest service staff.
Bombay High Court quashed orders declaring teachers surplus, ruling that seniority under Maharashtra Employees of Private Schools Rules must account for total service, including periods in unaided divisions. The Education Officer’s mechanical reliance on a prior judgment without applying mind to individual service records violates procedural fairness.
Allahabad HC rules that the State of U.P. must clarify whether lecturer seniority is determined cadre-wise or subject-wise before the Public Service Commission submits its merit list. Non-compliance with prior judicial directions will attract costs, reinforcing judicial oversight over administrative procedural clarity in service law.
The Supreme Court ruled that seniority under service regulations must be calculated from the date of initial appointment, including training periods, and not from the commencement of probation. This holding invalidates administrative circulars attempting to override statutory definitions, ensuring direct recruits retain seniority based on their original appointment dates.