Shanthi Charan R. vs T. Koteswara Rao And Ors.

The Supreme Court interpreted Rule 9(1) of the Recruitment Rules, concluding that the continuous length of service in the same grade is the determining factor for seniority. The Court found that the Tribunal erred by not considering the service as Labour Officer when calculating seniority for the Assistant Welfare Commissioner position. Consequently, the Tribunal's judgment was set aside, and the appeal was allowed, affirming that all relevant service in the grade must be counted for seniority purposes.