P.K. DIXIT AND ORS. vs STATF OF U.P. & ORS.

The Supreme Court ruled that the period of officiation for State Judicial Service Officers must be considered as a period of probation, and their confirmation should date from the earliest available vacancy. The Court emphasized that prior to the U.P. Higher Judicial Service Rules, 1975, there was no provision for direct recruitment, thus all posts were to be filled by promotion. Consequently, seniority must be calculated based on the date of confirmation rather than an arbitrary date set by the High Court, ensuring fairness in the promotion process under Rules 3, 8, and 26 of the 1975 Rules.