In Brief
Two Lower Division Clerks appointed in 1973 were promoted to Upper Division Clerk in 1976 and later to Inspector positions in 1981. The Union introduced the Assured Career Progression (ACP) Scheme in 1999, granting upgradation to junior officers appointed after the senior petitioners. This caused juniors to draw higher pay than their seniors. The High Court ordered stepping up of the seniors' pay under Fundamental Rule 22 to remove the anomaly. The Supreme Court dismissed the Union's appeal, holding that stepping up was proper to eliminate the pay disparity created by junior officers receiving ACP upgradation while seniors, though promoted earlier, drew less pay."
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