DWIJEN CHANDRA SARKAR & ORD. vs UNION OF INDIA AND ANR.

The Supreme Court held that the appellants, employees of the Posts and Telegraph Department, are not entitled to count their prior service in the Rehabilitation Department for the purpose of obtaining time-bound promotion under the circular dated 17.12.1983. The Court affirmed the Central Administrative Tribunal's decision, which stated that the appellants must complete 16 years of service in the transferee department to qualify for promotion. The ruling clarified that the transfer orders explicitly excluded prior service from being counted towards seniority, thereby upholding the Tribunal's interpretation of the promotion scheme.