Chief Executive Officer vs S. Lalitha

Judicial Analysis Court Copy Headnote Facts Arguments Court observation

2025 Supreme(SC) 709

DIPANKAR DATTA, RAJESH BINDAL
Chief Executive Officer – Appellant
Versus
S. Lalitha – Respondent

Advocates appeared:
For the Petitioner(s): Mr. Sahil Bhalaik, AOR Mr. Tushar Giri, Adv. Mr. Siddharth Anil Khanna, Adv. Mr. Ritik Arora, Adv. Mr. Shivam Mishra, Adv. Ms. Gulshan Jahan, Adv. Mr. Murshlin Ansari, Adv. Mr. Sewa Singh, Adv.
For the Respondent(s): Ms. Anuradha Mutatkar, AOR

JUDGMENT :

DIPANKAR DATTA, J.

1. Leave granted.

2. The challenge in this appeal is to a short order of the High Court of Karnataka at Bengaluru¹[High Court] dated 8th March, 2018²[impugned order] dismissing a writ petition³[W.P. No. 9171 of 2018] that the appellants had presented before it. The appellants felt aggrieved by a judgment and order dated 1st August, 2017 of the Central Administrative Tribunal, Bengaluru⁴[Tribunal] whereby it allowed an original application⁵[O.A. No. 2 of 2017] of the respondent.

3. Undisputed facts, giving rise to this appeal, in a nutshell are these:

a. The respondent joined as TV News and Film Librarian (Library & Information Assistant) at Doordarshan Kendra, Bangalore on 11th March, 1985.

b. On 31st May, 2002, the appellant received benefit of financial upgradation under the Assured Career Progression⁶[ACP Scheme] Scheme, 1999 for the first time w.e.f. 9th August, 1999.

c. Since the ACP Scheme envisaged benefits of financial upgradation in the hierarchical scale after 12 and 24 years of service, the respondent became entitled to receive benefit of financial upgradation under the ACP Scheme for the second time w.e.f. 11th March, 2009.

d. The Modified Assured