In Brief
The Supreme Court examined a civil appeal and writ petition concerning a female employee's claim for promotion under a 30% Limited Departmental Competitive Examination quota in Southern Railway. The applicant alleged she was wrongly excluded from the promotion panel issued in 2001 and that reserving one post for SC candidates against 30% quota was improper. The Court held that her claim was barred by delay and laches—she waited over six and a half years before filing a representation, and subsequent replies thereto did not revive her stale claim. The Court found the Railways' plausible roster-point explanation for vacancy allocation was reasonable and required no interference. The Court allowed the appeals and dismissed the applicant's promotion claim, but directed the Railway to pay her outstanding retiral benefits with 8% interest from July 2015.
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