In Brief
South East Central Railway advertised 5,798 Group D posts in 2010 and created a 20% extra replacement panel (6,995 candidates total) to cover non-joiners. Despite 624 vacancies remaining unfilled, no appointments were made from the replacement panel. The appellants (extra-list candidates) challenged this before the Tribunal and High Court, both dismissing their claims. The Supreme Court, in a 2-1 split decision, allowed the appeal. The majority held that although mere selection confers no vested right, the State cannot arbitrarily ignore a replacement panel without cogent reasons when large vacancies exist; it must act non-arbitrarily under Article 14. The dissent upheld the State's discretion, noting the replacement panel's validity had expired and concurrent recruitment cycles provided alternative sources. The majority ordered the appellants' appointment with notional seniority benefits.
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