S PARAMASIVAN Vs. PANDYAN GRAMA BANK

JUDGEMENT

(1.) COMMON ORDER In both these writ petitions, the prayer has been made for quashing the separate orders dated 4.7.1998 passed in respect of each of the petitioners by respondent No.2.

(2.) Since the facts and circumstances of the case are similar and the question of law to be decided was the same, both the writ petitions were heard together and shall be governed by the present common judgment.

(3.) The petitioner in W.P.No.10491/98 was appointed as Accountant under Pandyan Grama bank and was subsequently promoted as Branch Manager with effect from 1.1.1980. The petitioner in W.P.No.10492/98 was appointed as Accountant under the very same Bank on 24.11.1977. On 29.4.1980, a circular was issued by the Government of India merging the posts of Assistant Field Officer in the Rural Bank with that of Branch Manager w.e.f. 1.5.1980 and all were re-designated as Officers. A dispute having arisen relating to pay structure of the persons functioning under the Rural Banks, as per the direction of the Supreme Court, the National Industrial Tribunal was constituted. On 30.4.1990, the National Industrial Tribunal passed an award indicating that the Officers of the Rural Bank should be entitled to the pay scale at par with the officers of the sponsor Bank. It was further suggested in the award that the equivalent posts in sponsor banks and their fitment into the new scales of pay applicable to officers of sponsor banks in corresponding posts should be decided by the Government of India. Accordingly, Equation Committee went into the matter and submitted a report on 8.1.1991. As per the Summary of recommencation relating to equation of posts in the Regional Rural Banks with sponsor Bank other than Kshetriya Kisan Gramin Bank, Manipuri, it was indicated that the Officers and Branch Managers of RRBs be equated with scale one Officer (as JM-I) of the sponsor Bank. The Equation Committee recommended that employees namely Senior Clerk cum Cashier and Officer/Branch Manager may be placed at the minimum as under. As per such recommendation those who have completed less than three years of service as on the appointed date, were recommended to be fitted at the second stage in the Sponsor Bank. Those who had completed three years of service but less than six years of service as on the appointed date were recommended to be fitted at the third stage in the sponsor Bank . Those who had completed six years of service but less than nine years as on the appointed date were recommended to be fitted at the fourth stage in the Sponsor Bank and those who had completed nine years of service as on the appointed date were to be fitted at the fifth stage in the Sponsor Bank.