Lt. Col. Pooja Pal vs Union of India

Judicial Analysis Court Copy Headnote Facts Arguments Court observation

2026 Supreme(SC) 305

SURYA KANT, UJJAL BHUYAN, N. KOTISWAR SINGH
Lt. Col. Pooja Pal – Appellant
Versus
Union of India – Respondent

Advocates appeared:
For the Appellant(s) : Ms. V Mohana, Sr. Adv. Mr. Santosh Krishnan, AOR Ms. Sreepriya K., Adv. Mr. Ashwin Joseph, Adv. Ms. Rekha Palli, Sr. Adv. Mr. Sudhanshu Shekhar Pandey, Adv. Mr. Gaichangpou Gangmei, Adv. Mr. Abhishek Ritabh Shukla, Adv. Mr. Roshan Kumar, Adv. Mr. Maitreya Mahaley, Adv. Ms. Punam Singh, Adv. Ms. Bhavya Sharma, Adv. Mr. Vaidushya Parth, Adv. Mr. Anish Venkatesh Bindlish, Adv. Ms. Nandita Lal, Adv. Ms. Sneha Agarwal, Adv. Mr. Yimyanger Longkumer, Adv. Ms. Darshana Deepak Das, Adv. Mr. Ishat Singh Bhati, Adv. Mr. Kamei Bestman Kabui, Adv. M/s Ag Veritas Law, AOR Mr. Abhinav Mukerji, Sr. Adv. Ms. Bihu Sharma, Adv. Ms. Tanya Shree, AOR Ms. Khusboo Hora, Adv. Ms. Archita Nigam, Adv. Ms. Vibha Makhija, Sr. Adv. Mr. Rakesh Kumar, AOR Ms. Menaka Guruswamy, Sr. Adv. Ms. Amrita Panda, AOR Mr. Ruchir Joshi, Adv. Mr. Shivang Berry, Adv. Ms. Bhumika Yadav, Adv. Ms. Shaswati Parhi, Adv. Ms. Kashish Jain, Adv.
For the Respondent(s): Mrs. Aishwarya Bhati, A.S.G. Ms. Riddhi Jad, Adv. Ms. Shreya Jain, Adv. Mr. Mukesh Kumar Maroria, AOR Mr. Chitvan Singhal, Adv. Mr. Bhuvan Kapoor, Adv. Mr. Anuj Srinivas Udupa, Adv. Ms. Shivika Mehra, Adv. Mr. Rajeshwari Shankar, Adv. Mr. Santosh Kumar, Adv. M/S. Ag Veritas Law, AOR Ms. Indra Sen Singh, Adv. Ms. Kaberi Sharma, Adv. Mr. Anuj Kapoor, AOR Mr. Ankur Chibbar, Adv. Mr. Kaustubh Shukla, AOR Mr. Deepak Singh Thakur, Adv. Ms. Pushpanjali Singh, Adv. Mr. Praveen Singh, Adv. Ms. Vibha Makhija, Sr. Adv. Mr. Rakesh Kumar, AOR

Table of Content
1. allow intervention in appeals. (Para 1 , 2 , 3)
2. background of sscwos' eligibility. (Para 4)
3. parties present arguments regarding aft decisions. (Para 5 , 6)
4. court evaluates acrs and grading processes. (Para 7 , 8 , 9 , 10 , 11 , 12)
5. analysis of the impact of acr evaluations. (Para 13 , 14 , 15 , 16 , 17 , 18)
6. disparities faced by sscwos in service. (Para 19 , 20 , 21 , 22 , 23)
7. value judgment and its implications. (Para 24 , 25 , 26 , 27 , 28 , 29 , 30 , 31)
8. impact of unfair practices on outcomes. (Para 32 , 33 , 34)
9. discussion on vacancy caps. (Para 35 , 36 , 37 , 38 , 39 , 40 , 41 , 42 , 43)
10. understanding policy interpretations. (Para 44 , 45 , 46 , 47 , 48 , 49 , 50 , 51 , 52 , 53)
11. the respondents’ adherence to policy norms. (Para 54 , 55 , 56 , 57)
12. legitimate expectations of appellant-male sscos dismissed. (Para 58 , 59 , 60 , 61 , 62 , 63)
13. conclusion on judgment and directions. (Para 64 , 65 , 66)

JUDGMENT :

SURYA KANT, CJI.

1. Applications for intervention and impleadment are allowed, and the Applicants therein are directed to be impleaded as Intervenors.

2. The instant batch of appeals has been preferred by a group of roughly 73 Shor

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2026 Supreme(SC) 305

SURYA KANT, UJJAL BHUYAN, N. KOTISWAR SINGHLt. Col. Pooja Pal – AppellantVersusUnion of India – Respondent

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SURYA KANT, UJJAL BHUYAN, N. KOTISWAR SINGH
Lt. Col. Pooja Pal – Appellant
Versus
Union of India – Respondent