What does the term 'consequential seniority' mean?

Question

http://www.business-standard.com/india/news/devesh-kapur-the-honourable-men/483076/

The Supreme Court struck down the Uttar Pradesh Government Servants Seniority Rules – which provided for consequential seniority in promotions – holding that, although the Constitution has been permitted to enable consequential seniority, the state had failed to satisfy conditions relating to the determination of backwardness and the appropriateness of reservations. It is unclear what shape the proposed amendment will take, but it seems that the state does not even want to discharge the burden that the case for special treatment must be made out.

I searched in google about consequential seniority, but i could not understand.

Answer 1

Here is a definition by example:

"Consequential Seniority -- Let us assume that A, belonging to the General Category, currently holds Level 3 of a government post and B, appointed under the Scheduled Caste quota, is junior to A in Level 3. When promotions to Level 4 are to be decided, let us assume further, that due to reservations in promotions B has to be promoted to Level 4 before A because there are no Scheduled Caste candidates at a seniority similar to that of A. The question that then arose was whether A would regain seniority over B when she is promoted to Level 4 in due course. 'Consequential Seniority' means that A will not regain her seniority and B will now be considered senior to A within Level 4."

Available at: http://lawandotherthings.blogspot.tw/2012/05/uncertain-push-for-empirical-data.html