In Brief
This appeal concerned the inter se seniority of 59 Station Fire Officers appointed by direct recruitment in 1993 under Andhra Pradesh Fire Subordinate Service Rules. A Government Order dated 22.05.2012 created two classes of SFOs for seniority purposes: those who cleared prescribed tests within the probation period and those who cleared tests late. The State had granted permission for late completion and exempted all officers from the third test. The High Court quashed the GO as ultra vires and irrational. The Supreme Court upheld this, holding that the State lacked statutory authority under the Rules to create such classification within a single cadre. Since officers had completed probation, cleared prescribed tests with State permission, and been exempted from the third test, no justifiable basis existed for distinguishing them in seniority. The appeals were dismissed."
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