In Brief
Debajit Das, a junior Public Works Department engineer, was promoted to an ex-cadre post in 2005, then regularized as an Executive Engineer and later promoted to Superintending Engineer in 2014, even though he lacked the mandatory five-year qualifying service and the promotion was supported by an inflated vacancy count. The High Court's Division Bench upheld the promotion despite finding it illegal, citing delay and laches. The Supreme Court reversed this, holding that systematic fraud through creation of an irregular ex-cadre post, false vacancy figures, and promotion of an ineligible officer cannot be shielded by delay, especially where an official inquiry had reasonably explained the delay. The promotion was set aside and seniority principles restored."
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