V. LAKSHMIKANTHAN AND ANR. ETC. vs UNION OF INDIA AND ORS. ETC.

The Supreme Court reiterated the principles established in R.K. Sabharwal v. State of Punjab, (1995) 2 SCC 745, regarding the post-based roster system for promotions, emphasizing that the percentage of reservation must be calculated based on the total number of posts in a cadre, not on vacancies. The Court clarified that once the reserved posts are filled, the roster should not be applied further, except as specified in the Sabharwal judgment. The ruling also confirmed that seniority among promoted candidates must respect the original seniority in the lower grade, regardless of the order of promotion under the reservation system.