In the Central Administrative Tribunal Hyderabad Bench: Hyderabad
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1 OA 692/2012 IN THE CENTRAL ADMINISTRATIVE TRIBUNAL HYDERABAD BENCH: HYDERABAD Original Application No.692 of 2012 Date of CAV: 03.09.2018 Date of Pronouncement: 26.09.2018 Between: 1. L. Bangaraiah, S/o. Musalaiah, Aged 66 years, Occ: Electrician, HSG, GE N.B. (V), (Retd), R/o. D. No. 71-31-706, Kranthi Nagar, Gandhigram Post, Visakhapatnam. 2. M. Narasimha Raju, S/o. Late Jogi Ramakrishna Raju, Aged 66 years, Occ: Electrician, HSG, GE NB (V) (Retd.), R/o. D. No. 8-91, Near Primary High School, Rajula Tallavasala PO, Bheemunipatnam Mandal, Visakha Dist. Visakhapatnam. 3. Mr. A. David Raju, S/o. A. Samuel, aged 66 years, Occ: Electrician, HSG GE N.d. (V) (Retd.), R/o. Flat No. 208, Gajanana Apts., Shantinagar, NAD Kotha Road, Visakhapatnam -9. 4. E.S. Hanumantha Rao, S/o. Late Subrahmanyam, aged 65 years, Occ: Electrician, HSG GE N.D. (V) (Retd.), R/o. D. No. 71-31-706, Kranthi Nagar, Gandhigram Post, Visakhapatnam -5. 5. Sk. Imam Kasim, S/o. Pakher Saheb, aged 64 years, Occ: Electrician, HSG GE N.S. (V) (Retd.), R/o. D. No. 71-31-640, Kranthi Nagar, Gandhigram Post, Visakhapatnam -5. 6. B. Varahala Raju, S/o. late Narasimha Raju, Aged 66 years, Occ: Electrician, HSG GE N.B. (V) (Retd.), R/o. Near Panchayat Office, Rajula Tallavalasa PO, Bheemunipatnam Mandal, Visakhapatnam -9. 7. A. Sanyasi Rao, S/o. late Venkatasubba Raju, Aged 66 years, Occ: Electrician, HSG GE N.S. (V) (Retd.), R/o. Tarakarama Enclave, NAD Kotha Road, NAD Post, Visakhapatnam – 9. 8. I. Ranga Rao, S/o. late Vaikuntavasulu, Aged 71 years, Occ: Electrician, HSG (Retd), R/o. D. No. SF-1, Lowsons Bay Colony, Visakhapatnam-17. 9. A. Shankara Rao, S/o. A. Govind Rao, Aged 65 years, Occ: Electrician, HSG, GE NB (V) (Retd.), R/o. D. No. 22-85-24, Burujupeta, near SKML Temple, 2 OA 692/2012 Visakhapatnam-1. 10. B.S.N. Murthy, S/o. late Suryanarayana, Aged 65 years, Occ: HSG, GE NB (V) (Retd.), R/o. D. No. 8-162/B, Karanamgari House, Ramabhadrapuram, Vizianagaram District. 11. V.V. Ramana Murthy, S/o. late Appalaswamy, Aged 64 years, Occ: Electrician, HSG, GE NB (V) (Retd.), R/o. D.No. SF-1, Lawsonsbay Colony, Visakhapatnam-17. 12. P. Appala Raju, S/o. Rama Rao, Aged 62 years, Occ: Electrician, HSG, Retd. In GE NB (V), R/o. D. No. 5-5-52, Pedajalaripeta, Adarsha Gramam, Visakhapatnam – 17. 13. P. Krishna Rao, S/o. late Sanyasaiah, Aged 61 years, Occ: Electrician, HSG GE N.D. (V) (Retd.), R/o. Tarakarama Enclave, NAD Kotha Road, NAD Post, Visakhapatnam – 9. 14. V.V. Ramana, S/o. late Varahalacharyulu, Aged 61 years, Occ: Electrician, HSG, Retd. GE ND(V), Visakhapatnam. 15. Smt. Gandham Jaya, W/o. late GA Prabhakara Rao, Aged 56 years, R/o. D. No. 5-88, Peda Narva, Pendurthi Mandal, Visakhapatnam. – 27. … Applicants And 1. The Union of India, Rep. by the Secretary, Ministry of Defence, New Delhi. 2. The Engineer-in-Chief, Army Headquarters, DHQ Post, New Delhi -11. 3. The Chief Engineer, HQ Southern Command, Pune-1. 4. The Chief Engineer (Navy), Station Road, Visakhapatnam-4. 5. The Commander Works Engineers, Station Road, Visakhapatnamm-4. 6. The Garrison Engineer (Naval Base), Visakhapatnam-5. 7. The Garrison Engineer (Naval Supplies), Naval Base Post, Visakhapatnam-14. 8. The Garrison Engineer (Naval Depot), 104 Area, Visakhapatnam -7. 3 OA 692/2012 9. The Assistant Garrison Engineer (I) (R&D), NSTL, NAD Kotha Road, Visakhapatnam-9. … Respondents Counsel for the Applicants … Mr. Ramachandra Rao, Advocate for Dr.P.B. Vijaya Kumar, Advocate Counsel for the Respondents … Mr. Bhimsingh, Advocate for Mr.M. Brahma Reddy, Addl. CGSC CORAM: Hon'ble Mr. Justice R. Kantha Rao, Member (Judl) Hon’ble Mr. B.V. Sudhakar, Member (Admn.) ORDER {As per Hon'ble Mr. B.V. Sudhakar, Member (Admn.) } The OA is filed against office order no 156/2011 dt 19.10.2011 dealing with seniority and non grant of higher pay scale. 2. Brief facts are that the applicants Sl 1 to 14 and the husband of the applicant at Sl. 15 worked as civilian employees in Military Engineering service and retired. The posts of Line Man, Wire Man, and Switch Board Attendant in the pay scale Rs 210-290 constitute the feeder cadre for promotion to the posts of Instrument repairer, Electrician, Armature Winder and Cable Joiner in the pay scale of Rs.260-350. After passing the Trade Test the applicants and the Husband of the applicant at Sl. 15 were promoted to the grade of an Electrician in the pay scale of Rs.260-350. The applicants were senior to Mr. Ch Kameswara Rao, Wire Man and Sri G.S.N Murthy whose dates of appointment are 3.4.1972 and 8.6.1972 respectively since the later did not pass the trade test. Under fitment policy of the Govt. of India, Ch Kameswar Rao and G.S.N Murthy, who were left out in the feeder category and did not pass the trade test were promoted to the higher scale of Rs.330-8-370-10-400 EB-10-480 w.e.f 16.10.1981 resulting in anomaly of juniors getting higher pay than the senior applicants. After being represented by several employees about the anomaly an Expert Classification Committee (ECC) was formed which recommended that the 4 OA 692/2012 seniors should also get the pay scale of Rs 330-480 from the date a junior got the scale under the fitment policy w.e.f 16.10.1981. The seniority is to be reckoned based on CWE (Commander Works Engineers) Area basis. As per the fitment policy the posts of line man, wire man and switch board operator were redesignated as Electrician (SK) with a pay scale of 260-350 and abolished the feeder of lineman etc. In view of certain difficulties being encountered in regard to the seniority while implementing the fitment policy, the 2nd respondent issued guide lines vide lr dt 22.12.1988 stating that inster se seniority between Electrician, wireman, lineman, armature winder and SBA in (i)--skilled category, the existing electricians will rank en masse senior to all others and in (ii) HS-II grade existing electrician will rank en masse senior to SBA and the higher scale will be determined based on the date of placement. Existing SBAs and linemen will be redesignated as Electrician (SK). Ten percent promotion in SBA and wiremen will not be made. In view of this clarification the applicants being senior should be placed in the pay scale of Rs 330-480 as Electrician HS – II w.e.f 16.10.1981 and placed over those who were promoted under the fitment policy. Consequently this tribunal in OA 140 of 1991 filed by the applicants has ordered the 2nd respondent to dispose of the comprehensive representation of the applicants and accordingly the 2nd respondent disposed of the matter by stating that the ECC and Committee on Common categories seized to function and that the unions appreciated the 4th CPC scales and that there was no injustice done. Being aggrieved the applicants again filed another OA 526/2008 which was disposed by this tribunal directing the respondents to conduct a review DPC to promote the applicants to the post of Electrician HS –II if eligible. The respondents promoted three of the applicants vide proceedings dt 30.9.2011 by convening a DPC, on applicants igniting a C.P before the tribunal. The 5 OA 692/2012 applicants point out that this action was against the GOI orders dt 11.5.1983 and that the respondents did not indicate on what basis their claims were rejected and hence the OA. 3. The applicants contend that since they were promoted to the post of electrician on passing a trade test prior to Mr Kameshwara Rao and Mr Murty they should be given the higher pay scale of Rs 330-480 and ranked senior to the later as per the ECC recommendation and subsequent guidelines of 2nd respondent vide lr dt 22.12.1988. The applicants contend that there is no DPC prescribed in the ECC and the guidelines referred to. Further, compliance affidavit dt 8.10.2011 filed by respondents should be complied with. The action of the respondents is against the Govt of India Instructions discussed above. By extending the rightful benefit only to the applicants Sri R.Gopala rao, Sri A.Muthyala Rao and Sri Rajeswar Rao and excluding others without assigning reasons is discriminative and against Articles 14, 16 and 21 of Constitution of India. The applicants have also submitted the citation of the Honorable Apex Court in Er. Gurucharan Singh Grewal and Anr vs Punjab State Electricity Board and ors in CA 65-67 of 2009 where in it was held at para 14 that parity of the pay scale of the appellant at par with that of the junior has to be brought about. 5. The respondents in their defense contend that the three applicants found fit by DPC were promoted as per orders of tribunal in OA 526/2008. Further they point out that on the merger of the wireman, SBA etc scales with the electrician scale the combined seniority had to be fixed by considering the length of service, date of birth etc in the lower grade as per 2nd respondent lr 22.12.88. Accordingly Sri CH Kameswar Rao and Sri Murthy who joined on 3.4.1972 and 8.6.1972 are senior. As per ECC recommendation senior should be given pay at 6 OA 692/2012 par with junior from the date the junior draws higher pay.