PRAFULLA SHIL Vs. STATE OF TRIPURA

JUDGEMENT

(1.) Heard Mr. Somik Deb, learned counsel appearing for the petitioners. Also heard Mr. D. Bhattacharjee, learned G.A. appearing for the State of Tripura and Mrs. S. Deb (Gupta), learned counsel appearing for the Tripura State Electricity Corporation Ltd.

(2.) All these writ petitions being WP(C) No. 1656 of 2017 [Prafulla Shil v. The State of Tripura and Others], WP(C) No. 1657 of 2017 [Dipankar Das v. The State of Tripura and Others], WP(C) No. 1658 of 2017 [Kazi Mosaraf Hossain v. The State of Tripura and Others], WP(C) No. 1659 of 2017 [Tarun Ch. Das v. The State of Tripura and Others], WP(C) No. 1660 of 2017 [Ershad Ullah v. The State of Tripura and Others], WP(C) No. 1661 of 2017 [Swapan Kr. Saha v. The State of Tripura and Others], WP(C) No. 1662 of 2017 [Rathindra Narayan Bhattacharjee v. The State of Tripura and Others], WP(C) No. 1663 of 2017 [Dulal Debnath v. The State of Tripura and Others], WP(C) No. 1664 of 2017 [Rana Majumder v. The State of Tripura and Others], WP(C) No. 1665 of 2017 [Monoranjan Debnath v. The State of Tripura and Others], WP(C) No. 1666 of 2017 [Nani Gopal Debnath v. The State of Tripura and Others], WP(C) No. 1667 of 2017 [Braja Gopal Debnath v. The State of Tripura and Others], WP(C) No. 1668 of 2017 [Abhilash Das v. The State of Tripura and Others], WP(C) No. 1669 of 2017 [Sujit Pal v. The State of Tripura and Others], WP(C) No. 1670 of 2017 [Ranjan Nath v. The State of Tripura and Others], WP(C) No. 1711 of 2017 [Biplab Bhowmik v. The State of Tripura and Others], WP(C) No. 1712 of 2017 [Satyabrata Chakraborty v. The State of Tripura and Others], WP(C) No. 1713 of 2017 [Joydal Hossain v. The State of Tripura and Others], WP(C) No. 1714 of 2017 [Chandan Majumder v. The State of Tripura and Others], WP(C) No. 1715 of 2017 [Sajal Das v. The State of Tripura and Others], WP(C) No. 1716 of 2017 [Bikram Sarkar v. The State of Tripura and Others], WP(C) No. 1717 of 2017 [Tapas Kr. Das v. The State of Tripura and Others], WP(C) No. 1721 of 2017 [Laxman Debnath v. The State of Tripura and Others], WP(C) No. 1722 of 2017 [Prabir Kr. Roy v. The State of Tripura and Others], WP(C) No. 1723 of 2017 [Litan Sarkar v. The State of Tripura and Others], WP(C) No. 1724 of 2017 [Bidhan Das v. The State of Tripura and Others], WP(C) No. 1725 of 2017 [Pradyut Chakraborty v. The State of Tripura and Others], WP(C) No. 1726 of 2017 [Jayanta Bhowmik v. The State of Tripura and Others], WP(C) No. 1727 of 2017 [Amar Chakraborty v. The State of Tripura and Others], WP(C) No. 1728 of 2017 [Nibash Das v. The State of Tripura and Others] and WP(C) No. 1729 of 2017 [Narayan Ch. De v. The State of Tripura and Others], are consolidated for disposal by a common judgment, as an identical controversy wades through these writ petitions.

(3.) The petitioners having held the posts of Junior Electrician/Junior Operator under the erstwhile Power Department (Respondent No.1) later on merged with Tripura State Electricity Corporation Ltd.(Respondents No.3 and 5) being established as a separate entity under G.O. No. 1(6)/CAB/99 dated 24.12.2004 have claimed for pay parity with those of Junior Draftsman/Junior Surveyor, working under the Public Works Department (PWD) the Government of Tripura, on the ground that the qualifications for entry as well as the duties and responsibilities are similar and identical. But, the Government i.e. respondents No. 1 and 2 have created artificial distinction in prescribing two different pay-scales for the Junior Electricians/Junior Operators and Junior Draftsman/Junior Surveyors.