JUDGMENT

KULDIP SINGH, J.:- Promotees and direct recruits, in Government services, have an amazing capacity to rake-up old seniority disputes settled-finally by the Courts of law. This is the third round of litigation between such members of the Indian Statistical Service. This Court in Narender Chadha v. Union of India, (1 986) 1 SCR 21 1, finally decided the dispute regarding seniority between promotees and direct recruits belonging to Indian Economic Service and the Indian Statistical Service. This Court directed the Union Government (Para 23 of AIR):

"to treat all persons who are stated to have been promoted in this case to several posts in Grade IV in each of the two services contrary to the Rules till now as having been regularly appointed to the said posts in Grade IV under Rule 8(1)(a)(ii) and assign them seniority in the cadre with effect from the dates from which they are continuously officiating in the said posts. Even those promotees who have been selected in 1970, 1982 and 1984 shall be assigned seniority with effect from the date on which they commenced to officiate continuously in the posts prior to their selection. For purposes of seniority the dates of their selectio