Judgement

SHAH, J. :- Mohammad Ibrahim, appellant in this appeal entered service in the Public Works Department of the State of Hyderabad as a Sub-Overseer. In December, 1950, he was promoted to the post of a Supervisor. He was later promoted on November 23, 1963, as Assistant Engineer but was reverted on April 23, 1965 to his substantive post of Supervisor. The appellant filed a petition in the High Court of Andhra Pradesh for a writ quashing the order of reversion. Obul Reddy, J., dismissed the petition holding that the order of reversion was made on administrative grounds and the appellant being only a temporary employee and the emergency during which he was promoted as Assistant Engineer having ceased he could lawfully be reverted to substantive post. In appeal under the Letters Patent, the High Court confirmed the order passed by Obul Reddy, J., holding that the order of reversion did not amount to imposition of punishment. The High Court also held that merely because for administrative exigencies persons who were junior to the appellant in service were retained and the appellant was reverted did not amount to infringement of the guarantee of the equal protection under the Cons