M G BADAPPANAVAR Vs. STATE OF KARNATAKA

JUDGEMENT

(1.) Leave granted.

(2.) These appeals arising out of SLP(C) Nos. 24115-24116 of 1996 (hereinafter called the main batch) are directed against the judgment of the Karnataka Administrative Tribunal dated 20-11-1996 in Application Nos. 2756 of 1996 and 4849 of 1996. The Civil Appeal arising out of SLP(C) No. 11218 of 2000 is directed against an interlocutory order dated 11-4-2000 in RP 240/2000 filed by the State of Karnataka staying an earlier order passed by the Karnataka High Court in W.P. 45205 to 45210 of 1999 on 11-1-2000, directing disposal of a representation to be filed by the general candidates seeking implementation of the recent judgment of this Court in Ajit Singh II vs. State of Punjab, (1999) 1 SCC 209. That is how these cases have come before us.

(3.) The facts in the main batch of Civil appeals are as follows : In a group of OAs filed before the Tribunal, the basic contention raised by the applicants (appellants in this Court) who were general candidates was that when they and the reserved candidates were appointed at level 1 and the junior reserved candidates got promoted earlier at roster points to level 2 and again by way of roster points to level 3, and when the senior general candidates got promoted in due course to level 3, then the general candidate would become senior to the reserved candidate at level 3. At level 3, the reserved candidate had therefore to be considered along with the senior general candidate for promotion to level 4. This was precisely what was decided by the Constitution Bench of this Court recently in Ajit Singh II vs. State of Punjab, (1999) 7 SCC 209, which has followed in Ram Prasad vs. D. K. Vijay, (1999) 7 SCC 251, Jatindrapal Singh vs. State of Punjab, (1999) 7 SCC 257 and Sube Singh Bahmani vs. State of Haryana, (1999) 8 SCC 213, all decided on the same day.