K.K. KHOSLA & ANR. vs STATE OF HARYANA & ORS.

The Supreme Court upheld the promotion of Respondent No. 3 to the post of Executive Engineer under the Haryana Service of Engineers Class I PWD (Public Health Branch) Rules, 1961, despite his not having completed five years of service as an Assistant Executive Engineer or passed the departmental examination. The Court found that the State Government had validly exercised its power under Rule 9(3) and Rule 22 to grant relaxation due to Respondent No. 3 being the only direct recruit to Class I Service. The appeal was dismissed, affirming the legality of the promotion.