In Brief
This case concerns the inter se seniority of Station Fire Officers (SFOs) appointed in 1993. The State issued a memorandum in 2012 creating a classification dividing SFOs into two classes based on when they passed prescribed tests, placing some SFOs (appellants) above others (respondents). The High Court quashed this classification as arbitrary. The Supreme Court upheld the High Court, holding that the State had no power under the service rules to create such a classification. Since all SFOs completed probation, passed two tests, and were exempted from a third test by government order, distinguishing among them by test-passing timing was unjustified and violated principles of equality in service.
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