UNION OF INDIA vs CHOTHIA (H.P.) AND ORS. ETC. ETC.

The Supreme Court upheld the Gujarat High Court's ruling that Regulation 5(2)(b) of the Indian Forest Service (Initial Recruitment) Regulations, 1966 is mandatory, requiring the Selection Board to provide reasons for not selecting eligible candidates. The Court emphasized that the Board must prepare a list of suitable officers and send records of those deemed unsuitable along with reasons, to prevent arbitrary decision-making. The appeal was dismissed, affirming the High Court's decision to quash the selection process due to non-compliance with the mandatory provisions of the regulation.