In Brief
An IAS officer (Respondent No. 1) challenged his downgraded performance appraisal grade from 9.92 to 9, which was set aside by the High Court. The Supreme Court reversed the High Court's decision, holding that courts should not interfere with specialized administrative evaluations of IAS officers absent mala fide or prejudice. Although procedural timelines were violated, this did not invalidate the appraisal under the mandatory Rule 5(1). The grade of 9 (outstanding category) was sufficient for promotion purposes, causing no actionable prejudice. The Court directed the Accepting Authority to decide the officer's pending representation within 60 days.
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