In Brief
The Supreme Court quashed a 2017 Government Order granting blanket seniority to police constables recruited as Sub-Inspectors under a 20% departmental quota, placing them above higher-merit candidates from open market competition. The Court held that seniority in direct recruitment must be based solely on examination marks and merit ranking, not prior departmental experience. Executive instructions cannot override statutory recruitment rules. The ruling struck down the preferential seniority amendment as violating constitutional equality (Articles 14, 16, 21) and directed recast of all seniority lists from 1995 based on examination performance. The Court barred further promotions of departmental candidates pending the recast but protected already-granted promotions.
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