Regulation of salary entitlements, notional benefits, and inter-se seniority

While directing appointments for the eligible respondents and impleaders, the Supreme Court clarified that financial salary benefits would accrue strictly from the actual date of joining, while all other consequential service benefits would be granted on a notional basis. To preempt further rounds of inter-se seniority disputes, the Court mandated that seniority must be fixed in accordance with the merit position assigned in the revised selection list, placing the newly appointed candidates at the bottom thereof. (The State of Rajasthan & Ors. v. Namonarayan Sharma & Ors. | 2026 INSC 179)