In Brief
The appellants, candidates for direct recruitment to posts of Administrative Officer in Delhi Municipal Corporations, challenged a direct recruitment advertisement issued in 2013 without first exhausting promotion and deputation quotas. The High Court held the Municipal Bodies violated recruitment rules requiring 50% recruitment through promotion and 50% through deputation before resorting to direct recruitment. The Supreme Court reversed this, holding that candidates in a merit list acquire no vested right to appointment. The Court confirmed that while recruitment rules must be followed, once promotions and deputations are genuinely pursued, direct recruitment can proceed. The appeals were dismissed.
The lawyer headnote and full judgment text are available to registered users.