IN THE HIGH COURT OF HIMACHAL PRADESH, SHIMLA CWPOA No.898 of 2019 Decided on: 18th April, 2026 __________________________________________________________

Hem Raj and others ...Petit.ioners versus State of H.P. and others f...Respondents Coram Hon’ble Mr. Justice Jiya Lal Bha rdwaj, Judge.

Whether approved for reporting?

For the petitioners: Mr.Sanjeev Kumar Suri, Advocate.

For the respondents: Mr.Hemant Kumar Verma, Deputy Advocate General.

Jiya Lal Bhardwaj, Judge (Oral)

By way of present petition, the petitioners have prahyed for grant of the following substantive reliefs:-

“i) That the action of the respondents to fix the initial pay of the petitioners as Rs.14520/- instead of Rs.16290/- in the pay band of Rs.10300-34800/- + Grade pay of Rs.4200/- may kindly be held illegal, unjust, arbitrary and bad in law.

ii) That the respondents may kindly be directed to fix the initial pay of the petitioners as Rs.16290/- in the pay band of Rs.10300-34800/- + grade pay of Rs.4200/- with initial pay of Rs.16290/- instead of Rs.14520/-

with all consequential benefits w.e.f. 01-10-2011.”

2. The facts which emerge from pleadings are that the petitioners were initially appointed as Vidya Upasaks against