In Brief
This case concerns seniority and promotion of Judicial Magistrates in Jammu and Kashmir. Reserved-category officers were placed higher in a gradation list despite scoring lower in merit, due to application of a roster for direct recruitment. The High Court quashed the gradation list but relied improperly on constitutional grounds not raised by the petitioners. The Supreme Court remanded the matter, holding the High Court should reconsider the validity of the gradation list based on its independent merits—specifically whether seniority can be based on roster points or must follow merit—without reference to the constitutional reservation arguments previously cited. The broader question of whether Article 16(4-A) applies to Jammu and Kashmir remains pending before a Constitution Bench.
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