JUDGMENT :

WP(C) No. 74/2024

1. A Roman philosopher Lucretius’s quote “One man’s food is another man’s poison,” is a very serving one to introduce as to what is the issue involved in the present writ petition filed by fifty petitioners feeling similarly aggrieved that they, as a sub-class in the context of their service, have been subjected uninformed to a promotion related test meant for another sub-class of employees contrary to the promotion policy itself admitting of differential promotion test to the said two sub-classes thereby rendering them discriminated and purportedly denied of promotion prospect under seniority cum selectivity channel.

2. The facts of the present case are hardly admitting of any dispute/denial as the controversy zooms on “ Policy for Promotion of Workmen (Banking Associates, Assistant Banking Associates and Banking Attendants)” , (hereinafter to be referred in short as “the Policy” ).

3. The petitioners are Banking Associates on the regular establishment of the respondent No.1–Jammu & Kashmir Bank Limited (hereinafter to be referred in short as “the Bank”). Next level of promotion for a Banking Associate in the respondent No. 1- the Bank is an Assistant Mana