VIJAY SHANKAR PANDEY vs UNION OF INDIA & ANR

The Supreme Court addressed the dismissal of a writ petition concerning the promotion of an Indian Administrative Service officer, Vijay Shankar Pandey, who was exonerated by an Enquiry Officer but faced rejection of his promotion based on the Enquiry Report. The Court held that the invocation of Rule 8(3) of the All India Services (Discipline and Appeal) Rules, 1969, was improper as the Enquiry Report was not properly considered. The Court directed the authorities to reconsider the promotion in light of the exoneration, emphasizing adherence to procedural fairness under the Conduct Rules.