As per case facts the appellants selected as Sub-Inspectors through open market direct recruitment challenged the retrospective amendment to Rule a of the Rules which granted en bloc seniority to ... less meritorious in-service candidates quota over more meritorious open market candidates quota appointed in the same year despite the seniority rule being previously based on merit The High Court upheld the G O and the retrospective amendment The question arose whether the amendment to Rule a of the Rules and the corresponding G O granting en bloc seniority to in-service candidates over more meritorious open market direct recruitees is violative of Articles and of the Constitution of India Finally the Supreme Court quashed the G O and struck down the amendment to Rule a holding that granting seniority to less meritorious candidates based on retrospective effect and merely being in-service is violative of Articles and of the Constitution as seniority for direct recruitment must be fixed solely on the basis of merit rank obtained in the qualifying examination