In Brief
The appeal challenged the High Court's quashing of a Government Resolution that sought to grant consequential seniority to SC/ST candidates promoted against reserved vacancies in Orissa's administrative service. The Supreme Court dismissed the appeal, holding that a bare executive resolution without examining adequacy of representation and backwardness—mandatory requirements under Article 16(4A)—has no legal basis. The 'Catch Up Rule' applies, placing reserved promoted candidates junior to later-promoted general category officers, unless the State enacts a properly grounded law or executive order based on quantifiable data satisfying constitutional safeguards.
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