2012 Supreme(All) 2511
ALLAHABAD HIGH COURT
BEFORE : V.K. SHUKLA, J.
ANURAG AND OTHERS …Petitioners
Versus
STATE OF U.P. AND OTHERS ….Respondents
(Civil Misc. Writ Petition No. 75907 of 2011, 3013 and 28998 of 2012, decided on 21st September, 2012)
Counsel :
Ashok Khare and Siddharth Khare for the Petitioners; J.N. Maurya and C.S.C. for the Respondents.
Headnote:(A) Pay-scale—Fixation—Promotion—Initial engagement as Assistant Teacher in primary school—However, accorded promotion as Assistant Teacher in senior basic school—Fixation of revised pay-scale—In implementation of revised pay structure various anomalies came into existence—As a result of fixation was to be made notionally as per fitment schedule—Benefit was to be extended as per G.O. dated 24.2.2009—Disparity in pay-scale in removed by expert body—When salary of incumbent recruited by direct recruitment is more than senior incubment—Then salary of senior employee has to be equalised—Petitioner cannot claim as matter of right that their pay-scale be fixed on basis of notional fitment schedule—Held, where seniors salary is less, as compared to Junior—Then same has to be equalised. [Paras 6, 36 and 43]
(B) Pay-scale—Fixation—Factors for—Method of recruitment—Level at which recruitment is made—Hierarchy of service in a given cadre—Minimum educational/technical qualifications required—Avenues of promotion—Nature of duties and responsibilities—Horizontal and vertical relativities with similar jobs—Public dealings—Satisfaction level—Employer's capacity to pay etc.—However, list is not exhaustive. [Paras 33]
Hon’ble V.K. Shukla, J.—In this bunch of writ petitions, petitioners have rushed to this Court for quashing of the circular letter dated 11.10.2011 issued by Finance Controller, Board of Basic Education, U.P. Allahabad as well as consequential communication issued by respective Finance & Accounts Officer, Basic Education, and further prayer has been made not to take any action on the basis of order impugned and salary be ensured without causing any reduction by effecting recovery therefrom.
2. In order to organize, co-ordinate and control the imparting of basic education and teachers’ training in the State of U.P., the State of U.P. came up with an idea of establishing Board of Basic Education and the matter connected therewith by introducing, U.P. Basic Education Act, 1972 (U.P. Act No. 34 of 1972). The Board of Basic Eduction has established large number of Junior Basic School/Senior Basic School in the entire State and in the said institution appointment is made initially as Assistant Teacher in Primary Schools and thereafter avenue of promotion has been provided for as Headmaster in Primary School or Assistant Teacher in Senior Basic School in consonance with procedure as provided for under U.P. Basic Eduction (Teachers) Service Rules 1981.
3. Each one of the petitioner of present writ petitions have claimed before this Court that their initial engagement has been as Assistant Teachers in Primary Schools falling in their respective districts and thereafter each one of the petitioner has been accorded promotion as Assistant Teacher in Senior Basic School and has been performing and discharging their duties accordingly.
4. State Government by means of Government Order bearing No. 2-1313/Dus-54 (M)/2008 dated 8.12.2008 notified the decision of the State Government with regard to revision of pay-scales of Government Servants, Government Teacher, Teachers and Employees of aided educational institutions, teachers and employees of technical education as also that of pensioners and family pensioners w.e.f. 1.1.2006. On 8.12.2008 itself another Government Order was issued by the State Government bearing No. 2-1314/Dus-59 (M)/2008 notifying the pay band and the grade pay applicable w.e.f. 1.1.2006 with regard to different existing pay-scales. On 8.12.2008 itself another Government Order was issued by the State Government bearing No. 2-1318/Dus-59 (M)-2008 notifying the procedure and method for actual fixation in the revised pay structure. Paragraph 11 of the Government Order bearing No. 2 1318/Dus-59(M)-2008 dated 8.12.2008 specified the procedure to be followed in fixing salary in case of promotion from one Grade pay to another Grade Pay in the revised pay structure in the case of promotion on 1.1.2006 or subsequent to 1.1.2006. Paragraph-11 of the aforesaid Government Order is being extracted below:
Þ11- 1 tuojh 2006 dkas ;k mlds ckn inksUufr ij osru&fu/kZj.k&iqujhf{kr osru lajpuk esa ,d xzsM osru ls nwljs xzsM osru esa inksUufr dh fLFkfr esa osru dk fu/kkZj.k fuEukqlkj fd;k tk;sxk&
¼1½ osru cS.M esa osru rFkk orZeku xzsM osru ds ;ksx dh 3 izfr’kr /kujkf’k dks vxys 10 esa iw.kkZafdr djrs gq, ,d osruo`f) ds :i esa vkxf.kr fd;k tk;sxkA rn~uqlkj vkxf.kr osruo`f) dh /kujkf’k osru cS.M esa izkIr orZeku osru esa tksM+h tk;sxhA bl izdkj izkIr /kujkf’k inksUufr ds in ds osru cS.M esa osru gksxk] ftlds lkFk inksUufr in dk xzsM osru ns; gksxkA tgka inksUufr esa osru cS.M esa ifjorZu gqvk gks ogka Hkh blh i)fr dk ikyu fd;k tk;sxk rFkkfi osruo``f) tksM+us ds ckn Hkh tgka osru cS.M esa vkxf.kr osru inksUufr okys in ds mPp osru cS.M ds U;wure ls de gks rks rn~uqlkj vkxf.kr osru dks mDr osru cS.M esa U;wure ds cjkcj rd d<+k fn;k tk;sxkA**
5. According to paragraph 11 in such cases the fixation on the date of promotion is to be made after adding to pay in the pay band to the grade pay and adding 3% thereof as one increment which was required to be added to the grade pay in the pay band and accordingly the salary payable on promotion subse