State Of U.P. And Anr. vs Surendra Nath Misra

The Supreme Court upheld the Allahabad High Court's ruling that Rule 20(1)(c) of the U.P. Higher Education Service Rules, 1985 is ultra vires, as it unjustly disregarded the past service of lecturers appointed in degree colleges prior to June 5, 1972. The Court emphasized that the determination of seniority must consider the entire length of service of all lecturers, regardless of their cadre, to ensure fairness and equity. Consequently, the Court affirmed the High Court's decision, thereby maintaining the validity of the principle of seniority based on total service duration.