SABHAJIT TEWARY vs UNION OF INDIA & ORS.

The Supreme Court ruled that the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) does not qualify as an 'authority' under Article 12 of the Constitution, thus not subject to the provisions of Articles 14 and 16. The Court held that CSIR, being a society registered under the Societies Registration Act, lacks the statutory character of entities like the Oil and Natural Gas Commission. Consequently, the petitioner's claim for equal treatment in remuneration increments was dismissed as the CSIR's governance structure does not equate it to a government authority.