Reservation in promotions was excluded where the notification applied only to direct recruitment appointments.

Reservation under the Andhra Pradesh Co-operative Societies Act, 1964 was confined by the notification to posts filled by direct recruitment, whether temporary or regular. Promotional posts are not filled by direct recruitment, and reading "appointment" to include promotions would make the limiting words redundant. On that interpretation, the notification did not extend reservation to promotional posts, and the contrary view was held incorrect and set aside.

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Issues: Whether the notification issued under the Andhra Pradesh Co-operative Societies Act, 1964 applied the policy of reservation to promotional posts in co-operative societies.

Analysis: The Government had wide power under the Act to issue directions concerning reservation, but the controlling question was the scope of the notification itself. The notification directed reservation in appointments to all posts in co-operative institutions only when the posts were to be filled by direct recruitment, whether temporary or regular. Promotional posts are not filled by direct recruitment. A construction extending the word "appointment" to promotional posts would render the limiting words "to be filled by direct recruitment on temporary or regular basis" redundant, which is impermissible in interpretation.

Conclusion: The notification did not extend reservation to promotional posts, and the contrary view taken by the High Court was ? no, should say was incorrect and was set aside. The appeal succeeded.

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