(1.) PETITIONER is challenging government order No. 22nd Jan99 whereby the petitioner has been placed at Serial No. 257 of the seniority list. This is the list of those officers who stand inducted in the Kashmir Administrative Service. He submits that he should have been placed at serial No. 51. He submits that he was to be clubbed with Sh. G.N. Bodha, Smt Suriya Bhat, S. Jagat Singh, Sh. M. Abas Dar, Sh. M.S. Koka and Smt. Shagufta Parveen.
(2.) RESPONDENT authorities have filed objections. The stand taken by them is that the seniority is determined as per merit obtained by the concerned officer. Reliance is being placed on Rule 8 of the Jammu and Kashmir Administrative Service Rules of 1979. As the merit of the petitioner, it is submitted was lower, he has been rightly placed at serial No. 257.
(3.) RULES 8 and 16 which are relevant are being reproduced below: "8: Preparation of select list: