MEGHALAYA SUB-ORDINATE AGRICULTURE/HORTICULTURE TECHNICAL EMPLOYEES SERVICE ASSOCIATION (MESAHTESA) Vs. THE STATE OF MEGHALAYA

JUDGEMENT

(1.) HEARD Mr. P Nongbri, learned counsel for the petitioners and Mr. KP Bhattacharjee, learned GA appearing for the State respondents.

(2.) THE relief sought for in the present writ petition are (i) a direction to the Stat respondents to extent the benefits of Assured Career Progression Scheme (for short 'ACPS') to the members of the petitioner No. 1 -association on completion of 12 years and 24 years of service and (ii) a direction to the State respondents to remove the anomalies in pay scale of the members of the petitioner No. 1 -association.

(3.) THE petitioner No. 1 is an association formed by the employees of the Govt. of Meghalaya serving as SAS -III (Agricultural Demonstrators) and SAS -II (Assistant Agricultural Inspectors) under the Department of Agriculture, Govt. of Meghalaya. It is stated that the petitioner No. 2 was temporarily appointed as SAS -III cadre vide order under Memo. AGRI (E)/DIR -165/81 -82/54 dated 19.3.1982 and subsequently confirmed to the cadre of SAS II vide order under Memo. No. AGRI (E)/DIR -914 (A)/93 -94/346 dated 1.12.1993 and is presently serving in the said post for more than 30 years. The petitioner No. 3 was temporarily appointed as SAS -III cadre vide order under Memo. AGRI (E)/DIR -165/83/Pt/157 dated 24.3.1984 and subsequently confirmed to the cadre of SAS II vide order under Memo. No. AGRI (E)/DIR -914 (A)/93 -94/346 dated 1.12.1993 and is presently serving in the said post for more than 28 years. The petitioner No. 4 was temporarily appointed as SAS -III cadre vide order under Memo. AGRI (E)/DIR -165/84 -85/118 dated 31.5.1985 and subsequently confirmed to the cadre of SAS II vide order under Memo. No. AGRI (E)/DIR -914 (A)/93 -94/346 dated 1.12.1993 and is presently serving in the said post for more than 27 years. The petitioner No. 5 was temporarily appointed as SAS -III cadre vide order under Memo. AGRI (E)/DIR -229/93 -94/20 dated 23.9.1993 and subsequently confirmed vide order under Memo. No. AGRI (E)/DIR -914 (A)/PT/2003/185 dated 29.4.2004 and is presently serving in the said post for more than 19 years. The petitioner No. 6 was temporarily appointed as SAS -III cadre vide order under Memo. AGRI (E)/DIR -229/88/246 dated 6.1.1989 and subsequently confirmed vide order under Memo. No. AGRI (E)/DIR -914 (A)/PT/93 -94/346 dated 24.4.1995 and is presently serving in the said post for more than 23 years.