NAND KUMAR MANJHI AND ANR, ETC vs THE STATE OF BIHAR ETC

The Supreme Court upheld the Patna High Court's decision regarding the appointment of Assistant Conservators of Forests under the Bihar Forest Service Rules, 1953. The Court clarified that the State's decision to fill vacancies from the merit list of successful candidates from the 1985 examination was valid, despite subsequent recruitments and promotions. The Court emphasized that the retrospective amendment to Rule 3(aa) of the Bihar Forest Service Rules did not affect the appointments made prior to its enactment, thereby affirming the legality of the appointments made in 1988 and 1990.