JUDGMENT

Raveendran, J. — These appeals are filed against the judgments of the Punjab & Haryana High Court in the following cases :

S.No.Civil AppealCase No. beforeDate of No. High CourtJudgment of High Court

i)7567/2002CWP 12606/14.5.19981995

ii)7569/2002RSA 2990/199622.1.1999

iii)7600-01/2002CWP 12810/14.5.19981995

iv)7607/2002RSA 3237/199622.1.1999

v)7606/2002CWP 12830/14.5.19981995

vi)2323/2004CWP 3752/20023.11.2003

vii)2987/2004CWP 4903/20023.11.2003

These appeals involve a common question, as to protection of higher House Rent Allowance drawn upto 31.8.1988 by the employees of Punjab State Electricity Board, after the revision of such allowance with effect from 1.9.1988.

2. The appellant is the Punjab State Electricity Board (hereinafter referred to as the Board). The respondents are/were the employees of the Board. At the relevant point of time, the Respondents were posted at Ajnala, Ramdas, Patti, Khem Karan in the district of Amritsar and at Ferozepur, in places within a radius of 16 kms from the international border. As employees posted in the border areas within a radius of 16 km from the international border, they were paid HRA applicable to I class or A class cities in Punjab