BEFORE THE MADURAI BENCH OF MADRAS HIGH COURT
BATTU DEVANAND, J.
M. Mani – Appellant
Versus
The Secretary to Government, Finance (Pay Cell) Department, Government of Tamil Nadu, Chennai & Others – Respondents
W.P(MD)No. 2304 of 2016 & W.M.P(MD)No. 2024 of 2016
Decided On : 20-07-2023
Pay Anomaly - Service Regularization - V Pay Commission Recommendation - Clause-16 of Government Letter No. 45113/Finance (Pay Section) Department/2009-1 - Director of School Education Proceedings - W.P.(MD)No.10813 of 2015 - Article 226 - Constitution of India
Fact of the Case:
The petitioner, a Block Resource Teacher Educator, sought rectification of pay anomaly as his junior was drawing higher pay from a certain date. The court found the respondents' inaction to rectify the pay anomaly as illegal, arbitrary, and against the settled proposition of law.
Finding of the Court:
The court held that the inaction of the respondents to rectify the pay anomaly of the petitioner was illegal, arbitrary, unjust, and against the settled proposition of law.
Issues: Rectification of pay anomaly, inaction of the respondents, compliance with court orders
Ratio Decidendi: The court found that the respondents' failure to rectify the pay anomaly, despite accepting the petitioner's claim, was unreasonable and caused severe financial loss to the petitioner.
Final Decision: The Writ Petition was allowed, directing the respondents to rectify the pay anomaly of the petitioner and disburse the same with interest at the rate of 9% per annum within six weeks.
JUDGMENT
(Prayer:Writ Petition is filed under Article 226 of the Constitution of India praying to issue a Writ of Certiorarified Mandamus calling for the records relating to the impugned order of the third respondent herein in Na.Ka.No.073422/L/E4/2015 dated 10.12.2015 and the consequent impugned order of the first respondent herein in Lr.No.44562/Finance (CMPC) Department/2015-2 dated 23.12.2015 quash the same in so far as allowing rectification of pay anomaly of the petitioner from 01.01.2011 and consequently direct the sixth respondent herein to rectify the pay anomaly of the petitioner with effect from 01.06.2006, the date from which junior of the petitioned is drawing higher pay and disburse the same together with interest at the rate of 12% per annum without any further delay.)
1. Heard the learned counsel for the petitioner and the learned Government Advocate appearing for the respondents and perused the materials available on record.
2. The learned counsel for the petitioner submits that he was appointed as Block Resource Teacher Educator by proceedings of the fourth respondent on 15.07.2022 and joined service on 17.07.2002 in Trichy Town, Trichy District. The service of the petitioner was regularised on 17.07.2002 and subsequently, his probation was approved on 16.07.2004 by the fifth respondent. The petitioner was given selection grade on 17.07.2012 in the post of B.T. Assistant. Thereafter, the petitioner was promoted as PG Assistant to the present station on 20.07.2012 by proceedings of the fourth respondent. Subsequently, he was put in 13 years of continuous and clean service and maintaining clean records of service even without any adverse remarks.
3. The learned counsel for the petitioner further submits that at the time of joining of service, since the petitioner secured PG degree in M.A (History), he was granted one incentive of Rs.175/- + Rs.175/- = Rs.350/- as per V Pay Commission Recommendation. One C.Kopperunthevi with rank No.448/TRP/2002-2003 is working as B.T. Assistant (English), who is junior to the petitioner and also joined service on 19.07.2002, subsequent to his appointment and drawing lessor pay than him. Now his junior is getting more pay than the petitioner from 01.06.2006 in the post in which initial appointment of the petitioner and his junior i.e., C.Kopperundevi, is one and the same and the post held by them is also one and the same.
4. The learned counsel further submits that while so, the junior of the petitioner, had equal qualification and posting from the date of appointment, all of a sudden, from 01.06.2006 he has been drawing a higher pay of Rs.16,770/- than the petitioner i.e. Rs.16,460/- and during the last year from 19.07.2012, his junior has been drawing her salary at Rs.21,900/- as and when the petitioner is getting salary at Rs.21,490/-. The petitioner made a representation to the sixth respondent on 27.04.2005 bringing to their notice about the pay anomaly prevailing to the petitioner and his junior from 01.06.2006. As the respondents failed to consider the representation of the petitioner, W.P.(MD)No.10813 of 2015 was filed before this Court. By order, dated 24.06.2015, this Court disposed of the Writ Petition directing the respondents to consider and dispose of the representation submitted by the petitioner. Accordingly, the first respondent passed the impugned order, dated 23.12.2015 consequent to the impugned order, dated 10.12.2015 passed by the third respondent.
5. The learned counsel would further submit that the respondents considered the claim of the petitioner positively as per the clarification issued in Clause-16 of the Government Letter No. 45113/Finance (Pay Section) Department/2009-1, Finance Department, dated 17.08.2009 and proceedings issued by the Director of School Education.
6. The learned Counsel for the petitioner further submits that though the respondents accepted the objections raised by the petitioner with regard to anomaly between the petitioner and their j
The court emphasized the importance of promptly rectifying pay anomalies and complying with court orders to prevent financial loss to the petitioner.
Inaction of the respondents to rectify a pay anomaly, despite accepting the petitioner's claim, was held to be illegal and arbitrary, causing severe financial loss to the petitioner.
Inaction to rectify pay anomaly by the respondents was held as illegal, arbitrary, and against the settled proposition of law.
The court has the authority to remand an issue back to the respondents for reconsideration based on representations given by the petitioner.
Recovery cannot be initiated beyond the period of five years from the allegedly offending event.
The main legal principle established in the judgment is the application and interpretation of Government Order No.25 P & AR Department dated 23.03.2015 to rectify pay anomalies between seniors and ju....
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