Union Of India vs Pushpa Rani & Ors

The Supreme Court addressed the applicability of reservation policies for Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes in the context of cadre restructuring in the railways, specifically under the Administrative Tribunals Act, 1985. The Court upheld the decision of the Chandigarh Bench of the Central Administrative Tribunal, which quashed the Railway Board's directive to apply reservation during the restructuring process, establishing that such policies do not apply to upgraded posts. The Court affirmed the High Court's dismissal of the Union of India's challenge, reinforcing that appointments must consider eligibility and suitability without the influence of reservation policies.