Promotion not only covers advancement to higher position or rank but also implies advancement to a higher grade. In service law also the expression “promotion” has been understood in the wider sense. Promotion can be either to a higher pay scale or to a higher post.
“Promotion as understood under the service law jurisprudence means advancement in rank, grade or both. Promotion is always a step towards advancement to a higher position, grade or honour.”……….. Tarsem Singh & Anr. v. State of Punjab & Ors [1994] 5 SCC 392.
“In the literal sense the word ‘promote’ means to advance to a higher position, grade, or honour. So also ‘promotion’ means advancement or preferment in honour, dignity, rank, or grade. ‘Promotion’ thus not only covers advancement to higher position or rank but also implies advancement to a higher grade. In service law also the expression ‘promotion’ has been understood in the wider sense and it has been held that ‘promotion’ can be either to a higher pay scale or to a higher post.”……….. State of Rajasthan v. Fateh Chand Soni, [1996] 1 SCC 562.
“Promotion as understood in ordinary parlance and also as a term frequently used in cases involving service laws means that a person already holding a position would have a promotion if he is appointed to another post which satisfies either of the two conditions namely that the new post is in a higher category of the same service or that the new post carries higher grade in the same service or class.”…………… Director, Central Rice Research Institution Cuttack and Anr. v Khetra Mohan Das, [1994] Supp. 3 SCC 595.