Pratap Singh vs State Of Haryana & Ors., Shri Bhajan Lal & ...

The Supreme Court addressed whether a petitioner, who was not a candidate for the contested posts, had the locus standi to challenge appointments made by the Haryana Public Service Commission under the guise of a public interest litigation. The Court upheld the High Court's decision to dismiss the petitions, noting the petitioner's lack of standing and the excessive delay of 16 years in challenging the appointments. The ruling emphasizes that stale claims against long-serving employees who have since received promotions cannot be entertained.