In Brief
Three judicial officers (Civil Judges, Senior Division) qualified for promotion to District Judge with suitability test scores above the prescribed minimum of 40 marks but were denied promotion because other candidates ranked higher on the merit list. The High Court dismissed their challenge. The Supreme Court held that for the 65% promotional quota based on merit-cum-seniority, passing a suitability test entitles a candidate to promotion—comparative ranking in a merit list cannot be used to exclude qualified candidates. The Court allowed the appeal, granting the officers notional promotion from the date others were promoted, with consequential service benefits including seniority and pay fixation, but excluding back wages.
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