In Brief
The Union Public Service Commission appealed against CAT and High Court orders that directed the appointment of M. Sathiya Priya to the IPS. Priya, ranked 10th in seniority among State Police Service officers, was graded 'Good' by the Selection Committee in 2008 and not selected, as officers with higher grades were available. The CAT and High Court had reassessed her performance using different ACR periods and ordered her appointment. The Supreme Court held that the Regulations and Guidelines form a complete code for IPS selection. The Selection Committee's classification is an expert function not subject to appellate review except for bias, mala fides, or arbitrariness. The court found the Selection Committee acted rationally within statutory limits and no malice was established. The judgment of CAT and High Court was set aside.
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