JUDGMENT

R.V. Raveendran J.—

This question involved in this appeal by special leave is whether the respondents, holding the post of Inspector Agricultural Minimum Wages (for short, ‘Inspector - AMW’), were entitled to parity in pay scale, from April 1981, with those holding the posts of Inspector (Cooperative Societies), Extension Officers (Panchayat) and KGO-JLRO (now Revenue Officers). For convenience the post of Inspector-AMW which is the subject matter of this appeal will be referred as the ‘subject post’. The other three posts with reference to which parity is sought will be referred to as the ‘reference category posts’. For convenience, we give below the pay scales of the four categories of employees :

Sl. Name of Posts 1970 1981 1990 1998 (I Pay (II Pay (III Pay (IV Pay Commission) Commission) Commission) Commission)

1. Inspector 300-600 380-910 1260-2610 4000-8850 Agricultural (9) (9) (9) (9) Minimum Wages

2. Inspector, 300-600 with 425-1050 1390-2970 4500-9700 Co-operative higher initial at (11) (10) (10) Societies 330/-

3. Extension Officer, 300-600 with 425-1050 1390-2970 4500-9700

Panchayat higher initial at (11) (10) (10) 330/-

4. KGO-JLRO 300-600 with 425-1050 1390-2970 480