STATE OF MADHYA PRADESH vs RAMASHANKAR RAGHUVANSHI & ANOTHER

The Supreme Court held that the termination of the respondent's service was punitive and violated Article 311 of the Constitution, as it was based solely on past political activities without any current misconduct. The Court emphasized that employment cannot be denied based on historical political affiliations unless they threaten the integrity and efficiency of the individual in service. The High Court's decision to quash the termination was upheld, reinforcing the fundamental rights under Articles 14 and 16 regarding equality of opportunity and freedom of association.