Judgment

1. The petitioner is aggrieved and assails the promotion of respondent Nos. 4 to 14 from the rank of Second-in-Command (2IC) to the rank of Commandant made in supersession of the superior claim of the petitioner, who was senior to respondent Nos. 4 to 14 in the rank of Second-in-Command. The petitioner also assails two communications issued by respondent No.2 dated 11.11.2011 and 29.11.2012, whereby the claim of the petitioner for promotion to the rank of Commandant with effect from the date of such promotion of respondent Nos.4 to 14 has been rejected. The petitioner claims that he is entitled to promotion to the rank of Commandant with effect from the date, the private respondents have been so promoted. The petitioner also claims that in the rank of Commandant he is entitled to be shown senior to the private respondents.

2. With the view to appreciate the grounds of challenge, it would be necessary to briefly notice the background facts leading to the filing of instant petition.

3. The petitioner appears to have joined his service as Assistant Commandant in the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) on 01.12.1994 as a direct recruit. The respondent Nos.4 to 12 also entered