KULDEEP KUMAR GUPTA vs H.P.S.E.B.

The Supreme Court addressed the legality of the Himachal Pradesh State Electricity Board's promotion regulations for Junior Engineers, specifically the differentiation between qualified diploma holders and unqualified matriculates. The Court held that the creation of separate seniority lists and promotional quotas based on qualifications was arbitrary and irrational, violating principles of equality under Article 14 of the Constitution. Consequently, the Court quashed the regulations that provided preferential treatment to unqualified Junior Engineers in promotions, reinforcing the need for uniformity in promotion criteria.