As per case facts, doctors were initially engaged on a contractual basis by the GNCTD, often with extensions, and later inducted into the Delhi Health Services (DHS) under the 2009 ... DHS Rules following a suitability assessment. They challenged Tribunal orders that rejected their claims for seniority from their initial contractual engagement date and for counting their contractual service towards pensionary benefits. The question arose whether prior contractual service, rendered before regularisation under the DHS Rules, should be reckoned for seniority and qualifying service for pension. Finally, the High Court ruled that seniority must flow strictly from statutory rules, and thus, cannot be granted from the initial contractual engagement date. However, contractual service against sanctioned posts, if continuous and followed by induction, shall be counted towards qualifying service for pension in accordance with applicable statutory provisions, without conferring any right to retrospective seniority or disturbing cadre position.