Rank - Definition - Law Dictionary Home Dictionary Definition rank

Definition :

Rank, refers to a position, especially an official one, within a social organization, of high social order or other standing status, S.C. Advocate-on-Record Asn. v. Union of India, AIR 1994 SC 268.

The word 'rank' has both a narrower as well as a wider meaning; in its ordinary sense as meaning grade or status, N.C. Dalwadi v. State of Gujarat,

AIR 1987 SC 1933 (1937): (1987) 3 SCC 611: (1987) 3 SCR 640. [Bombay Civil Service Rules, 1959, R. 161(1)(c)(ii)(1)]

(ii) The expression 'rank', in 'reduction in rank' has, for purpose of Article 311 (2) an obvious reference to the stratification of the posts or grades or categories in the official hierarchy. It does not refer to the mere seniority of the government servant in the same class or grade or category, Nyadar Singh v. Union of India, AIR 1988 SC 1979: (1988) 4 SCC 170: (1988) Supp 2 SCR 546.

The expression 'rank' in Art. 311(2) has reference to a person's classification and not his particular place in the same cadre in the hierarchy of the service to which he belongs, Shitla Sahai Srivastava v. G.M., AIR 1966 SC 1197 (1200): (1966) 3 SCR 61. (Constitution of India, Art. 311)

A social or official position or standing as in armed forces, Black's Law Dictionary, 7th Edn.