673/2023 - 2026 Supreme(Online)(CAT) 5627

Judicial Analysis Court Copy Headnote Facts Arguments Court observation

2026 Supreme(Online)(CAT) 5627

CENTRAL ADMINISTRATIVE TRIBUNAL HYDERABAD BENCH, HYDERABAD (Circuit Sitting at Vijayawada)
ORIGINAL APPLICATION NO.020/00390/2023 VIJAYAWADA, this the, 20th Day of April, 2026 HON’BLE DR. LATA BASWARAJ PATNE, JUDICIAL MEMBER HON’BLE MR. VARUN SINDHU KUL KAUMUDI, ADMINISTRATIVE MEMBER
11. B. Lakshmana rao bhairi, S/o. B. Ramarao, “C”, aged about 56 yrs Working as: Leading Fireman, Unit: Eastern Naval Command, Visakhapatnam.
22. Narsipuram umarao, S/o. N. Ramulu, Age: 44 Working as: Leading Fireman, Unit: Eastern Naval Command, Visakhapatnam.
33. Kesam setty lokeswara rao, S/o. K. Ramu, Age: 45 Working as: Leading Fireman, Unit: Eastern Naval Command, Visakhapatnam.
44. Rella venkata chalapathi, S/o. Rella ganapathi, Age: 37 Working as: Leading Fireman, Unit: Eastern Naval Command, Visakhapatnam.
55. Mallivalasa ravi kumar, S/o. Mallivalasa narayana rao, Age: 41 Working as: Leading Fireman, Unit: Eastern Naval Command, Visakhapatnam.
66. Pala govinda rao, S/o. Pala venkatesh, Age: 30 Working as: Fireman, Unit: Eastern Naval Command, Visakhapatnam.
77. Reddi vasudeva rao, S/o. Reddi satyannarayana, Age: 45 Working as: Leading Fireman, Unit: Eastern Naval Command, Visakhapatnam.
88. Uttam paul, S/o. Manoranjan paul, Age: 43 Working as: Leading Fireman, Unit: Eastern Naval Command, 9. Labudubariki madhu, S/o. Labudubariki guru, Age: 39
1010. Vanam uday kumari, S/o. V. Satyanarayana, Age: 38
1111. Muchakarla sankara rao, S/o. M. Maha lakshmi naidu, Age: 34
1212. Kalyani hari kumar, S/o. K. Appanna, Age: 34 Working as: Leading Fireman, Unit: Eastern Naval Command, Visakhapatnam.
1313. Chinthalapudi trinadha krishna, S/o. Ch. Nageswara rao, Age: 34 Working as: Fireman, Unit: Eastern Naval Command, Visakhapatnam.
1414. sidagam rama krishna, d/o. S. Appa rao, Age: 41 Working as: Leading Fireman, Unit: Eastern Naval Command, Visakhapatnam.
1515. Killada yerru naidu, S/o. K. Sitha ramayya (late), Age: 48 Working as: Leading Fireman, Unit: Eastern Naval Command, Visakhapatnam.
1616. Korangi satish, S/o. K. Paradeshi rao, Age: 40 Working as: Leading Fireman, Unit: Eastern Naval Command, Visakhapatnam.
1717. Nadupuru eswara rao, S/o. N. Suryanarayana, Age: 37 Working as: Fireman, Unit: Eastern Naval Command, Visakhapatnam.
1818. tamire seshagiri, S/o. Tamire vasudeva rao, Age: 34 Working as: Fireman, Unit: Eastern Naval Command, Visakhapatnam.
1919. Geddada visweswara rao, S/o. G. Appa rao, Age: 48 Working as: Leading Fireman, Unit: Eastern Naval Command, Visakhapatnam.
2020. Trinath tandingi, S/o. Raghunath tadindi, Age: 43 Working as: Leading Fireman, Unit: Eastern Naval Command, Visakhapatnam.
2121. appala raju, S/o. Mynapu narasimhulu, Age: 41 Working as: Leading Fireman, Unit: Eastern Naval Command, Visakhapatnam.
2222. Sariki kesava naidu, S/o. S. Bangari naidu, Age: 41
2323. Gokivadavenkat kunchalanaidu, S/o. Raja babu, Age: 44
2424. Alamanda surya trimoorthulu, S/o. Alamanda dali babu, Age: 43
2525. Singampalli mangayya, S/o. Singampalli mangayya (late), Age: 43
2626. Metta krishnamraju, S/o. M. Rama rao, Age: 42 working as: Leading Fireman, Unit: Eastern Naval Command, Visakhapatnam.
2727. Chintapalli tataji, S/o. Ch. Tatayya, Age: 36 Working as: Fireman, Unit: Eastern Naval Command, Visakhapatnam.
2828. Vadisala appala raju, S/o. Vadisala venkara rao, Age: 56 working as: Leading Fireman, Unit: Eastern Naval Command, Visakhapatnam.
2929. Manapuram teja, S/o. Jagannadham naidu, Age: 31 Working as: Fireman, Unit: Eastern Naval Command, Visakhapatnam.
3030. Galla siva ganesh, S/o.g.apparao, Age: 33 Working as: Fireman, Unit: Eastern Naval Command, Visakhapatnam.
3131. Ramadasu seetharama raju, S/o.r.bangarukonda, Age: 42 Working as: Fireman, Unit: Eastern Naval Command, Visakhapatnam.
3232. Otya naik kethavathu, S/o.k.laxmudu, Age: 43 Working as: Leading Fireman, Unit: Eastern Naval Command, Visakhapatnam.
3333. Tadala suresh, S/o.t.narsingarao, Age: 41 Working as: Leading Fireman, Unit: Eastern Naval Command, Visakhapatnam.
3434. Daityari sahu, S/o.rupachandra sahu, Age: 48 Working as: Fireman, Unit: Eastern Naval Command, Visakhapatnam.
3535. Sayed sadham hussain, S/o. Sayed sadham hussain, Age: 30 Working as: Fireman, Unit: Eastern Naval Command, Visakhapatnam.
3636. Bandaru madhu, S/o.b.nageswara rao, Age: 31 Working as: Fireman, Unit: Eastern Naval Command, Visakhapatnam.
3737. K. Ramachandran, S/o.k.kandaswamy(late), Age: 49
3838. Kokkiri raju, S/o. Kokkiri pothanna, Age: 42
3939. Gorlae purushottam naidu, S/o. G. Malleswara naidu, Age: 31
4040. Relli sivan sankar, S/o. Relli apparao, Age: 41 Visakhapatnam.
4141. Seeramdasu nageswara rao, S/o. Manikyam, Age: 41 Working as: Leading Fireman, Unit: Eastern Naval Command, Visakhapatnam.
4242. siriki srimannarayana, S/o. Siriki kesavarao, Age: 44 Working as: Leading Fireman, Unit: Eastern Naval Command, Visakhapatnam.
4343. Konna govindarao, S/o. Konna laxmunaidu, Age: 44 Working as: Fireman, Unit: Eastern Naval Command, Visakhapatnam.
4444. Appikonda ashok, S/o. Appikonda lakshmu naidu, Age: 38 Working as: Fireman, Unit: Eastern Naval Command, Visakhapatnam.
4545. Vasireddi simhachalam naidu S/o. Vasireddi venkata nageswara rao, Age: 38 Working as: Fireman, Unit: Eastern Naval Command, Visakhapatnam.
4646. Rajin lakshmipathi raju, S/o. Satynarayana, Age: 33 Working as: Fireman, Unit: Eastern Naval Command, Visakhapatnam.
4747. Komma satish kumar, S/o. Komma srinivasa rao, Age: 33 Working as: Fireman, Unit: Eastern Naval Command, Visakhapatnam.
4848. Vn bhushana rao malasala, S/o. Malasala ramana rao, Age: 48 Working as: Fireman, Unit: Eastern Naval Command, Visakhapatnam.
4949. Mangam lakshminarayana, S/o. M. Tata rao, Age: 47 Working as: Leading Fireman, Unit: Eastern Naval Command, Visakhapatnam.
5050. Kona ramana, S/o. Kona chinappanna, Age: 34 Working as: Fireman, Unit: Eastern Naval Command, Visakhapatnam.
5151. Pothuraju chiranjeevi, S/o. Ramarao pothuraju, Age: 38 Working as: Fireman, Unit: Eastern Naval Command, Visakhapatnam.
5252. M.suresh kumar, S/o.chandra sekhar rao, Age: 49
5353. Patarlapalli ramesh kumar, S/o. Patarlapalli adinarayana, Age: 34
5454. Sandeep kumar sharma, S/o. Sitaram Sharma, Age: 55
5555. Jami narendra, S/o. Jami kanaka raju, Age: 41 working as: Fireman, Unit: Eastern Naval Command, Visakhapatnam.
5656. Akkaraboena srinivas, S/o. Akkaraboena appala swamy, Age: 32 Working as: Leading Fireman, Unit: Eastern Naval Command, Visakhapatnam.
5757. Maluroutu lokesh, S/o. Maluroutunvenkateswara rao, Age: 47 working as: Fireman, Unit: Eastern Naval Command, Visakhapatnam
5858. Bandaru bhoolokayya, S/o. Bandarun jaggayya, Age: 50 working as: Fireman, Unit: Eastern Naval Command, Visakhapatnam.
5959. Sunkari sankara rao, S/o. Sunkari atchiyya, Age: 46 Working as: Leading Fireman, Unit: Eastern Naval Command, Visakhapatnam.
6060. T b v p raju, S/o. T. Lakshmana rao, Age: 50 working as: Leading Fireman, Unit: Eastern Naval Command, Visakhapatnam.
6161. Konthali sudheer kumar, S/o. Konthali kondanna dora, Age: 55 working as: Fireman, Unit: Eastern Naval Command, Visakhapatnam.
6262. K. Rajan rao, S/o. K. Laxman rao, Age: 44 Working as: Fireman, Unit: Eastern Naval Command, Visakhapatnam.
6363. Guttapudi pydi raju, S/o. Guttapudi satyam, Age: 51 Working as: Leading Fireman, Unit: Eastern Naval Command, Visakhapatnam.
6464. Koribilli dharma rao, S/o. Koribilli sanyasi (late), Age: 40 Working as: Leading Fireman, Unit: Eastern Naval Command, Visakhapatnam.
6565. Vegi kannumnaidu, S/o. Vegi ramakrishna, Age: 52 Working as: Leading Fireman, Unit: Eastern Naval Command, Visakhapatnam.
6666. Rampalli visweswara rao, S/o. Rampilli narayana swamy (late), Age: 56
6767. Makireddy venkata ramana, S/o. Makireddy sannamma (late), Age: 54
6868. Seeram ravi kumar, S/o. Seeram simhachalam, Age: 52
6969. Chelluboina seshu rama krishna, S/o. Chelluboina mutyalu, Age: 48
7070. Beela satyanarayana, S/o. Beela swami naidu, Age: 38 Working as: Leading Fireman, Unit: Eastern Naval Command, Visakhapatnam.
7171. Badireddi naidu babu, S/o. Badireddi devudu babu, Age: 50 Working as: Fireman, Unit: Eastern Naval Command, Visakhapatnam.
7272. Rambabu nandavarupu, S/o. Nandavarupu paradesi, Age: 56 Working as: Fireman, Unit: Eastern Naval Command, Visakhapatnam.
7373. Karthaswamy nagarajan, S/o. Karthaswamy, Age: 48 Working as: Leading Fireman, Unit: Eastern Naval Command, Visakhapatnam.
7474. Peethala simhachalam naidu, S/o. Peethala appanna, Age: 51 Working as: Fireman, Unit: Eastern Naval Command, Visakhapatnam.
7575. Kaithi sivamani krishna, S/o. Asirappadu, Age: 38 Working as: Fireman, Unit: Eastern Naval Command, Visakhapatnam.
7676. Majhi sabat kumar, S/o. Eswar majhi (late), Age: 56 Working as: Leading Fireman, Unit: Eastern Naval Command, Visakhapatnam.
7777. Srinivasa reddy kolli, S/o. Kolli suri reddy (late), Age: 44 Working as: Fireman, Unit: Eastern Naval Command, Visakhapatnam.
7878. Kamireddy venu gopal, S/o. Kamireddy kanaka raju, Age: 49 Working as: Fireman, Unit: Eastern Naval Command, Visakhapatnam.
7979. Setty suresh babu, S/o. Setty joganna, Age: 51 Working as: Fireman, Unit: Eastern Naval Command, Visakhapatnam.
8080. Chilukuri china satyanarayana, S/o. Sankaram, Age: 55 Working as: Fireman, Unit: Eastern Naval Command, Visakhapatnam.
8181. Pureddy guru rama reddy, S/o. Pureddy pydi reddy, Age: 42 Working as: Leading Fireman, Unit: Eastern Naval Command, Visakhapatnam.
8282. Arjala durga ganesh kumar, S/o. Arjala satyam (late), Age: 51
8383. Marabudi naga raju, S/o. Demudu, Age: 40
8484. Tuga venkateswara rao, S/o. T. Vallabha rao, Age: 48 85. Mula chiranjeevi rao, S/o. Madhusudana rao, Age: 45
8686. Vaddadi surendra, S/o. Kanaka raju, Age: 52 Working as: Fireman, Unit: Eastern Naval Command, Visakhapatnam.
8787. Ramesh behera, S/o. Gajendra behera, Age: 56 Working as: Leading Fireman, Unit: Eastern Naval Command, Visakhapatnam.
8888. Chilukoti satya gangadhara rao, S/o. Chilukoti ramu, Age: 45 Working as: Leading Fireman, Unit: Eastern Naval Command, Visakhapatnam.
8989. Divadari venkatesh, S/o. Appaya lingam, Age: 56 Working as: Leading Fireman, Unit: Eastern Naval Command, Visakhapatnam.
9090. Sohanveer singh, S/o. Singraj singh, Age: 42 Working as: Fireman, Unit: Eastern Naval Command, Visakhapatnam.
9191. Tatikonda srinivasa satya manikyala rao, S/o. Tatikonda veera venkata satyanarayana murthy, Age: 40 Working as: Leading Fireman, Unit: Eastern Naval Command, Visakhapatnam.
9292. Mutyala venkata jayakumar, S/o. Appa rao, Age: 52 Working as: Leading Fireman, Unit: Eastern Naval Command, Visakhapatnam.
9393. Ravi ranjan kumar, S/o. Ramawada singh, Age: 40 Working as: Fireman, Unit: Eastern Naval Command, Visakhapatnam.
9494. Suvvari kanakarao, S/o. Appala naidu, Age: 45 Working as: Leading Fireman, Unit: Eastern Naval Command, Visakhapatnam.
9595. Arvind kumar, S/o. Ram singh, Age: 50 Working as: Fireman, Unit: Eastern Naval Command, Visakhapatnam.
9696. Gatiganti srinivasa rao, S/o. Gatiganti nageswarao, Age: 55
9797. Biswakeshan giri, S/o. Prafulla kumar giri
9898. Bothsa mahesh, S/o. B. Yellam naidu, Age: 48
9999. Balinder moar, S/o. Satpal, Age: 46 100. anil, S/o. Shamsher singh, Age: 50 Working as: Fireman, Unit: Eastern Naval Command, Visakhapatnam.
101101. sarakana bhaskar rao, S/o. Sarakana rambabu, Age: 39 Working as: Fireman, Unit: Eastern Naval Command, Visakhapatnam.
102102. Pankaj kumar, S/o. Surendra singh, Age: 50 Working as: Leading Fireman, Unit: Eastern Naval Command, Visakhapatnam.
103103. Maragada jerlayya, S/o. Appanna, Age: 59 Working as: Fireman, Unit: Eastern Naval Command, Visakhapatnam.
104104. Alamanda ganesh, S/o. Alamanda satyanarayana, Age: 48 Working as: Leading Fireman, Unit: Eastern Naval Command, Visakhapatnam.
105105. Thiruma reddi lakshmana rao, S/o. Thiruma reddi surya rao, Age: 50 Working as: Fireman, Unit: Eastern Naval Command, Visakhapatnam.
106106. Gandi ramesh reddy, S/o. Gandi kurma reddy, Age: 44 Working as: Fireman, Unit: Eastern Naval Command, Visakhapatnam.
107107. Siramasetti d n b rao, S/o. Siramasetti sree ramulu, Age: 47 Working as: Leading Fireman, Unit: Eastern Naval Command, Visakhapatnam.
108108. Singampalli pavan kumar, S/o. Ramana, Age: 40 Working as: Fireman, Unit: Eastern Naval Command Visakhapatnam. ……Applicants (By Advocate: Sri K.Sudhaker Reddy)
Vs.
1. Union of India, Rep by its Secretary Ministry Of Defence, South Block, New Delhi-110011. 2. The Chief of Naval Staff, Integrated Headquarters of Ministry of Defence (Navy), New Delhi-110011.
3. The Principal Controller of Defence Accounts (Navy)
Ministry of Defence, Old Admiral House No.1, Cooperage Road, Colaba, Mumbai-400001.
4. The Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief Headquarters, Eastern Naval Command Visakhapatnam-530014.
5. The Admiral Superintendent Naval Dockyard, Visakhapatnam-530014.
6. The Ministry of Personnel P.G & Pension Through Secretary Department of Personnel and Training North Block, New Delhi-110001.
7. The Ministry of Finance Through Secretary North Block, New Delhi-110001. ….Respondents (By Advocate: Sri B.Siva Sankar, Sr.PC for CG)
******

ORAL ORDER

PER: HON’BLE DR. LATA BASWARAJ PATNE, JUDICIAL MEMBER

1.By this Original Application, the applicants are seeking the following relief:

“...to direct the respondent’s herein to grant Grade Pay of Rs.2400/- (Pay level-4) to Fireman/Fire Operator (Presently in Grade Pay 1900/- i.e., level-2) and Grade Pay of Rs.2800/- (Pay Level-5) to the post of Leading Fireman (Presently in Grade Pay 2000/- i.e., level-3) w.e.f. 01.01.2006 and with all the consequential benefits as per the order’s of Principal Bench of CAT, New Delhi order dated 26.10..2016 in OA No.2380/2010, and order dated 20.12.2022 in OA No.315/2022, and the order dated 30.04.2019 of Hon’ble High Court of Delhi in Writ Petition No.WP(C) 3373/2019, in addition with the support of DOP&T recommendations of 7^th CPC with regard Fire Fighting Staff and pass such order or orders as deemed fit and proper in the interest of justice.”

2. Applicants have submitted that they are presently working as Fireman/Fire Operator (Grade Pay of Rs.1900, L-2) and as Leading Fireman (Grade Pay Rs.2000, L-3) under the 4^th Respondent organisation. It is submitted that the 7^th Pay Commission has analysed the demand of the Fire Fighting Staff relating to enhancement of pay scales. The Commission has recommended, vide para 7.7.24, for drafting of model recruitment rules for a unified and standard hierarchical structure/pattern for the Fire Fighting Staff of all Central Govt. departments and UTs with similar designation as there is variation in hierarchical structure of the Fire Fighting Staff in different organizations. Accordingly, DoP&T has decided to keep the Recruitment Rules (RRs) of the Delhi Fire Service as a base for preparation of the model RRs. On examination of RRs provided by Delhi Fire Service, DoP&T observed that there is a dissimilarity in pay scales, designations, educational qualification for the purpose of Direct Recruitment despite the fact that nature of duties of Fire Fighting Staff are similar irrespective of the organisation. Besides this, DoP&T has also received representations from the Delhi Fire Service Employees Welfare Association, requesting to extend the enhanced Grade Pay of Rs.2400/- to Fireman/Fire Operator (Grade Pay of Rs.1900, L-2) and Grade Pay of Rs.2800/- to the post of Leading Fireman w.e.f. 01.01.2016, as per the order, dt.30.04.2019, passed by the Principal Bench of this Tribunal in OA.No.2380/2010 and the order, dt.30.04.2019, of the Hon’ble High Court of Delhi in Writ Petition No.WP(C) No.3373/2019. Similarly, the applicants are also entitled for the same with all consequential benefits as they are similarly situated to that of Delhi Fire Service employees. Applicants contend that not granting them the enhanced Grade Pay is illegal, arbitrary and violation of Articles 14 and 21 of the Constitution of India. Hence, the OA.

3. On notice, the respondents have filed their reply statement and opposed the relief on the ground that the applicants are not entitled the relief as prayed for as they have accepted their appointment following the conditions under the notification as per the Recruitment Rules (RRs). It is further contended that all the Govt. employees are recruited through their Department Recruitment Rules. Pay and other conditions are regulated as per RRs of the post in which the Govt. employees are recruited. The hierarchical structure of the Fire Fighting Staff in different organisations varies. Fire Fighting Staff of Indian Navy cannot be compared with Delhi Fire Services with respect to work load. Hence, Equal Pay for Equal Work principle cannot be implemented in the matter of present applicants. When they accepted the Recruitment Rules, they cannot question and claim pay parity subsequently.

4. Heard learned counsels for both the parties.

5. When we took up the matter for consideration, we noticed that some of the applicants viz., Applicant Nos.6, 10, 11, 12, 13, 18, 27, 29, 30, 35, 36, 39, 46, 47, 50, 53 & 56 are not even eligible to enter int

Click Here to Read the rest of this document