Ramesh K. Sharma And Anr vs Rajasthan Civil Services And Ors

The Supreme Court addressed the issue of inter se seniority between direct recruits and surplus personnel absorbed as Sales Tax Officers under the Absorption of Surplus Personnel Rules, 1969. The Court held that seniority must be determined based on Rule 15 of the Absorption Rules, which considers the length of continuous substantive service in comparable posts. The Court clarified that the substantive nature of the posts held by the surplus personnel in the Land and Building Tax Department must be established to ascertain their seniority relative to the direct recruits appointed under the Rajasthan Commercial Taxes Subordinate Service (General Branch) Rules, 1975.