In Brief
The Supreme Court resolved a seniority dispute between three categories of officers in the Punjab Superior Judicial Service: merit-cum-seniority promotees (50%), limited competitive examination promotees (25%), and direct recruits from the Bar (25%), all recruited in 2008. The High Court had placed 15 promotees at the bottom of the seniority list as "excess" and "ad hoc" appointments. The Court held that promotions were not excess when calculated prospectively under amended rules, and crucially, that seniority must follow the roster system specified in the Rules, not the date of joining. Despite joining at different times, officers selected in the same year rank according to roster points. The Court set aside the High Court's judgment and issued a final seniority list based on the roster principle to minimize future disputes.
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