ORDER

By Dr. Chhabilendra Roul, Member (A)

The applicants, 38 in number, have filed the present OA under Section 19 of the Administrative Tribunals Act, 1985 seeking the following relief:

“(a) Quash and set aside the impugned order dated 28.11.2017 (Annexure A-1).

(b) Direct the respondents to grant the applicants the same benefits of Pay Matrix 7 as that of the DFOs of RAW with all consequential benefits of arrears and interest thereon w.e.f. 01.01.2016 or from the date they became DFO, whichever is later.

(c) Any other relief as may be deemed fit under the facts and circumstances of the case.”

2. Factual Matrix

2.1 The present applicants are holding the civil posts of Deputy Field Officers (Tele) (DFO/Tele) in the Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB) on or after 01.01.2016. Originally, the SSB along with Research and Analysis Wing (RAW), Aviation Research Centre (ARC) and Special Frontier Force (SFF) were under the administrative control of Cabinet Secretariat till 2001. In the year 2001, the administrative control of SSB was shifted from Cabinet Secretariat to Ministry of Home Affairs. Prior to the change in the administrative control of SSB from Cabinet Secretariat to Ministry of Home Affairs