STATE OF MAHARASHTRA & ANR. vs CHANDRAKANT ANANT KULKARNI & ORS.

The Supreme Court held that the alteration of departmental promotion rules by the State Government for Assistant Sales Tax Officers (ASTOs) from Madhya Pradesh and Hyderabad, who were allocated to the new State of Bombay under Section 115 of the States Reorganisation Act, 1956, was valid. The Court ruled that the integration of services and the fixing of seniority based on continuous service was an administrative function and did not constitute a change in the conditions of service. The Court upheld the seniority list that placed ASTOs above Sales Tax Inspectors, affirming fair and equitable treatment in promotions.