UNION OF INDIA AND ORS. ETC. vs VIRPAL SINGH CHAUHAN ETC.

The Supreme Court addressed the issue of reservation in promotions within the Railway service, specifically concerning the seniority between general candidates and those from reserved categories under the rules of reservation. The Court held that the application of the forty-point and subsequently the hundred-point roster for promotions must align with the constitutional provisions ensuring equality and non-discrimination, as enshrined in Article 16 of the Constitution of India. The judgment emphasized that while reservations are permissible, they should not infringe upon the rights of general candidates unduly, thereby ensuring a balance between affirmative action and meritocracy.