RAVEENDRAN NADAR Vs. KERALA WATER AUTHORITY

JUDGEMENT

(1.) The petitioner has approached this Court seriously aggrieved by the omission of the respondents to grant him the second higher grade on completion of total 18 years of service in the Water Authority.

(2.) The petitioner joined the service of the Water Authority as First Grade Draughtsman on 28.2.1983. On completion of 10 years service, he was granted the first higher grade on 28.2.1993. Later he was recruited through the P.S.C. in the inservice quota and was appointed as Assistant Engineer on 28.8.1993. He completed total 18 years service in the Water Authority on 28.2.2001. The point to be decided is whether he is eligible for counting his entire service for the purpose of getting the next higher grade in the scale of pay applicable to the Assistant Executive Engineer. Ext. P1 contains the relevant order governing the grant of second higher grade. The entry post is defined in Para.11 of Ext. P1 as the post to which an employee is initially appointed in Government Service by direct recruitment by the competent authority.

(3.) The Rule regarding grant of 18 years higher grade reads as follows: