DEVDUTTA AND ORS. ETC. vs STATE OF M.P. AND ORS. ETC.

The Supreme Court upheld the order dated 15th February 1980, which granted retrospective confirmation to absorbed Sales Tax Inspectors from a presumed date of 31st March 1967, affirming that seniority should be determined based on the dates of confirmation. The Court ruled that the State Government had the authority to rationalize seniority among absorbed personnel, and the rules formulated for this purpose were reasonable, just, and equitable. The decision clarified that the absorbed Inspectors' seniority was validly fixed in accordance with the relevant executive instructions and memoranda issued by the State Government.