JUDGMENT

R.M. SAHAI, J. :- Seniority in services is usually irksome. But the nature of dispute amongst officers in Class A of Indian Defence Estates Service, who were promoted from Class B of Military and Cantonment service where they were working as Assistant Military Estates Officers (AMEO) and Assistant Military Estates Officers (Technical) (AMEOT), is slightly, unusual. That is why apart from correctness or otherwise of directions issued by the Tribunal (Central Administrative Tribunal, New Delhi) for redetermining seniority one of the issues debated was if this Court in exercise of its powers under Article 136 of the Constitution of India should interfere with orders of Tribunal if substantial justice has been done between parties. To this may be added, yet, another, namely, if the Union of India should have approached this Court by way of Special Leave Petition not for sake of justice or injustice. Legality or illegality of any provision but because it may have to pay few thousands, may be few lakhs more.

2. But, first, manner of appointment of two groups of officers and rules by which they were governed from time to time may he noticed as even though initially posts of both A