The principle of 'Equal Pay for Equal Work' is not strictly applied; disparities based on recruitment methods and job responsibilities justify differences in pay.

JUDGMENT

Chandra Dhari Singh, J. The instant writ petition under Article 226 of the Constitution of India is filed for issuance of writ of mandamus or any other appropriate writ to quash and set aside order dated 15th May 2012 and for directing the respondents to grant pay band-2 with Grade Pay of Rs.4600, with effect from, 8th August 2008, that is the date of promotion of the petitioner as an assistant.

FACTUAL MATRIX

2. The petitioner was relieved from his post of Upper Division Clerk (hereinafter "UDC") at the Central Administrative Tribunal (hereinafter "CAT") (PB) New Delhi and joined the respondent no.1/Telecom Disputes Settlement and Appellate Tribunal (hereinafter "TDSAT") as UDC on deputation basis in the pay scale of Rs.4000-6000 and was absorbed in the post on 31st May 2004. On 8th August 2008, the petitioner was promoted to the post of Assistant which he currently holds, in the pay scale of Rs.5500-9000.

3. On 11th September 2006, a proposal was initiated by the respondent no.3 for upgradation of the pay-scale of the Assistants and Personal Assistants (hereinafter "PAs") of Central Secretariat Service (hereinafter "CSS") and Central Secretariat Stenographer Service (hereinafter "CSSS") from the scale of Rs.5500-9000 to that of Rs.6500-10500 in view of the desirability of parity with the pay-scale of Inspectors and other analogous posts in Central Board of Direct Taxes/Central Board of Excise and Customs (CBDT/CBEC). Thereafter, Sixth Central Pay Commission had recommended that the pre-revised scales of Rs.5000-8000, Rs.5500-9000, Rs.6500-10500 be merged into a revised pay-band of Rs.9300-34800 with Grade Pay of Rs.4200 in pay band PB-II. The Department of Personnel and Training (hereinafter "DoPT") further increased Grade Pay of Rs.4200-4600 with respect to Stenographers Grade `C' working in CSSS and Assistants in CSS in terms of the Office Memorandum issued by the office of Department of Expenditure/respondent no.3 on 16th November 2009.

4. The DoPT issued two OMs. One was issued on 21st December 2009 granting the benefit of Grade Pay of Rs.4600 to the Assistants of CSS. The second was issued on 23rd December 2009 granting the benefit of Grade Pay of Rs.4600 to Stenographer Grade `C' (PA) in CSSS. These benefits were accorded w.e.f. 1st January 2006.

5. To claim the benefits, in pursuance of the proposal by the respondent no. 3 and the OMs issued by the DoPT, the Petitioner made a representation dated 7th May 2012 to respondent no. l seeking Pay Band-2 with Grade Pay of Rs.4600.

6. On 15th May 2012, respondent no.1 rejected the request for up-gradation of the pay scale from Rs.5500-9000 to Rs.6500-10500 and Grade Pay of Rs.4600 of the petitioner, in light of the letter dated 18th July 2011 of DoPT that since, there has been no direct recruitment through Competitive Examination in the TDSAT to the post of Assistant and the posts are being filled on deputation basis, therefore, the Assistants of TDSAT are not at par with the Assistants of CSS and CSSS.

7. The petitioner is aggrieved by the fact that the respondents denied him the benefit of increased Grade Pay from Rs.4200 to Rs.4600 which was accorded by the Respondent No.3 to the Assistants and Stenographer Grade `C' of CSS/CSSS w.e.f 1st January 2006. Hence, the