SHAMBHU SHARMA Vs. HIGH COURT OF DELHI

JUDGEMENT

(1.) This class action litigation has been instituted by six employees of this Court, aggrieved by the disparities in the grant of clothing and dress maintenance allowance, also called "washing allowance".

(2.) Petitioner No. 1 is presently a Judicial Assistant ("JA"), Petitioner Nos. 2 and 3 are Senior Judicial Assistants ("SJAs"), Petitioner No. 4 is a Senior Judicial Translator ("SJT"), Petitioner No. 5 is a Judicial Translator ("JT") and Petitioner No. 6 is a Junior Judicial Assistant ("JJA").

(3.) It is pointed out that in this High Court, uniforms were prescribed only for Gazetted Officers, Stenographer and Readers posted with the Courts as well as with the Courts of the Registrars and Joint Registrars. These officers and officials were provided with a clothing allowance of Rs.4500/- annually and a washing allowance of Rs.500/- per month. Following the recommendations of the 6th Central Pay Commission ("CPC"), the above allowances were increased to Rs.9000/- and Rs.1000/- respectively with effect from 1st September, 2008. At the time of the filing of the present petition, on 17th October, 2016, the clothing allowance for the above sections of the employees was Rs.11,250/- and the washing allowance Rs.1750/- per month. Other staff members of this Court were allowed to wear formal clothes of their choice, as they were not required to wear any designated uniform. Consequently, they were paid neither a clothing allowance nor a washing allowance.