Synopsis

This judgment settles a pivotal issue in India's reservation policy concerning public employment. The core dispute revolved around the practice of "migration" or adjustment of meritorious candidates belonging to Scheduled Castes (SC), Scheduled Tribes (ST), and Other Backward Classes (OBC) into the "unreserved" or "general" category list. The Supreme Court upheld the appellant Airport Authority's recruitment process, ruling that reserved category candidates who secure appointment on their own merit, without availing any relaxation, must be counted against unreserved vacancies. This ensures that the most meritorious candidates are appointed, while the reserved quotas remain intact for other eligible candidates from those categories.

1. Basic Information of the Judgment

Coram: J.M. Sundresh, J. and Satish Chandra Sharma, J. (Division Bench)
Jurisdiction: Civil Appellate Jurisdiction.
Case No.: Civil Appeal arising from SLP (Civil) No. 10686 of 2020 and connected appeal.
Date of Judgment: January 16, 2026.

2. Legal Framework

The judgment interprets and applies the following constitutional principles, statutory rules, and administrative guidelines:

• Constitutional Provisions:
  Articles 14, 16, and 335: The foundational principles of equality, equality of opportunity in public employment, and the consideration of claims of SCs/STs.

• Key Administrative Instructions:
  Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) Office Memorandum dated 02.07.1997: Contains the model roster for imple

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