Union Of India & Ors vs S.K. Saigal & Ors

The Supreme Court upheld the Central Administrative Tribunal's decision that the promotion criteria for departmental candidates to Scientists Grade 'C' under Rule 7 (2)(b) of the Central Ground Water Board (Scientific Group 'A' Posts) Recruitment Rules, 1995, which required 5 years of service in Grade 'B', was discriminatory compared to the 8 years required for deputationists. The Court ruled that both sets of candidates with similar qualifications should be subject to the same eligibility criteria for promotion. The Court affirmed the Tribunal's directive for the promotion of the respondents based on their 8 years of service in the lower scale, without striking down the existing Rules.