GAURAV VERMA & ORS. vs AIRPORT AUTHORITY OF INDIA & ANR.

* IN THE HIGH COURT OF DELHI AT NEW DELHI Reserved on: 13th January, 2026. Pronounced on: 17th February, 2026. Uploaded on: 17th February, 2026. W.P.(C) 9359/2025, CM APPL. 39593/2025, CM APPL. 49493/2025 & CM APPL. 1998/2026 GAURAV VERMA & ORS. .....Petitioners Through: Mr. Ramesh Chandra Singh, Ms. Prakriti Roy, Advocates. versus AIRPORT AUTHORITY OF INDIA & ANR. .....Respondents Through: Mr. Amit Bardhan Mohanty, Dr. Neelankshi Choudhary, Mr. Raveesh Kumar Tripathi, Advocates for R-1 and R-2 with Mr. Y.S. Choudhary, Manager (Law), AAI. Ms. Pratima N. Lakra, CGSC with Mr. Shailendra Kumar Mishra, Ms. Mansi Aggarwal, Mr. Chanakya, Advocates for R-3. CORAM: HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE SANJEEV NARULA JUDGMENT SANJEEV NARULA, J.: 1. The Petitioners assail their non-inclusion in the list of candidates called for document verification for recruitment to Non-Executive Cadres of the Airport Authority of India,1 Northern Region, with document 1 “AAI” 2025. 2. The case, though set-up as a grievance of “merit being ignored”, turns on a narrower legal axis. The Petitioners are ex-servicemen. The subject recruitment provides horizontal reservation for the category of “ex- servicemen”. The Petitioners