State Of U.P.& Ors vs Arvind Kumar Srivastava & Ors

The Supreme Court upheld the decision of the Uttar Pradesh Public Services Tribunal, affirming the High Court's dismissal of the State's appeal. The Court emphasized that the respondents, although not initially proactive in seeking relief, were entitled to the same benefits as similarly situated individuals under Article 14 of the Constitution. The ruling clarified that the principle of equality before the law mandates that identically placed individuals should receive equivalent treatment, regardless of their timing in approaching the court.