U.O.I. vs LALITA S. RAO

The Supreme Court addressed the issue of seniority among doctors appointed on an ad hoc basis by the Railway Administration, ruling that such appointments were not in accordance with the Indian Railway Medical Department (Assistant Medical Officers Class II) Recruitment Rules, 1977, which did not provide for ad hoc recruitment. The Court held that the services of all ad hoc appointees up to October 1, 1984, should be regularized based on their work and conduct evaluated by the Union Public Service Commission, thereby establishing the principle that ad hoc appointments cannot supersede statutory recruitment rules. The judgment emphasized adherence to proper recruitment procedures under Article 309 of the Constitution.