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IN THE SUPREME COURT OF INDIA

CIVIL  APPELLATE JURISDICTION  

CIVIL APPEAL NOS. 7922-7923   OF 2011

(Arising out of SLP(C) No.6975-6976/2010)

UNION OF INDIA & ORS.                      Appellant(s)

                    :VERSUS:

J. EDWARD SIMON & ANR.                     Respondent(s)

O R D E R

1. Delay condoned. Leave granted.

2. We  have  heard  the  learned  counsel  for  the  

parties.  

3. Learned senior counsel appearing on behalf of  

the Union of India has drawn our attention to an  

Office  Memorandum  dated  9.1.1978,  issued  by  the  

Government  of  India,  Indian  Space  Research  

Organisation  (Page 52 of the Paper Book), para 1.3  

of  which  deals  with  the  posts  of  Laboratory  

Technicians.  He  submitted  that  there  are  three  

grades  in  the  category  of  Laboratory  Technicians  

which are as under :

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i) Lab. Technician 'A' - Rs.320-6-326-8-390-10-400  

ii) Lab. Technician 'B' - Rs.380-12-500-EB-15-560  

iii) Lab. Technician 'C' -  Rs.425-15-500-EB-15-560-20-

700   

4. Learned senior counsel further submitted that  

a candidate who joins as Lab. Technician 'A', is  

considered for promotion to Lab. Technician 'B' and  

Lab. Technician 'B' is considered for promotion to  

the  post  of  Lab.  Technician  'C'.  After  Lab.  

Technician  Grade  'C',  there  are  no  further  

promotional avenues  for Lab.  Technicians and  both  

the  Central  Administrative  Tribunal  and  the  High  

Court have fallen in error in directing that the  

cases  of  those  employees  who  joined  as  Lab.  

Technician 'C', needs to be reviewed once in three  

years for giving them better promotional prospects.  

5. In  the  present  case,  in  absence  of  any  

further promotional avenues in the category of Lab.  

Technicians  Grade  'C',  the  respondents  cannot  be  

promoted to any other position or higher post.

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6. In  our  considered  view,  the  respondents  

cannot be considered for further promotion from Lab.  

Technician 'C'.  Consequently, the impugned judgment  

of  the  High  Court  and  that  of  the  Central  

Administrative Tribunal are set aside.   

7. These appeals are allowed leaving the parties  

to bear their own costs.  

.....................J (DALVEER BHANDARI)

.....................J (DEEPAK VERMA)

New Delhi; September 15, 2011.