Rupa Rani Rakshit & Ors vs Jharkhand Gramin Bank & Ors

The Supreme Court held that the promotion process for employees of Ranchi Kshetriya Gramin Bank was flawed as it deviated from the prescribed seniority-cum-merit principle under Rule 5 of the Regional Rural Banks (Appointment and Promotion of Officers and other Employees) Rules, 1988. The Court emphasized that promotions should strictly adhere to the criteria set forth in the Rules, which mandated selection based solely on interviews and performance reports, rather than a merit-based assessment involving multiple parameters. Consequently, the promotions made were set aside, reinforcing the legal principle that adherence to statutory rules is paramount in administrative actions.