UNION OF INDIA Vs. LACHMAN SINGH

JUDGEMENT

(1.) This case raises a few interesting questions.

(2.) The respondent Nos. 1-20 were initially appointed as Chowkidars and Mazdoors in the Military Engineering Services in the pay scale of Rs.196-232/- on diverse dates between 1960-1978.

(3.) Pursuant to a circular issued by the Government on 11.05.1983 the Industrial Workers in the Military Engineering Services were classified in the following categories: a) Unskilled Workers in the pay scale of Rs.196-232/-, b) Semi-skilled Workers in the pay scale of Rs.210-290/-, c) Skilled workers in the pay scale of Rs.260-400/- d) Highly-skilled Grade-II Workers in the pay scale of Rs.330- 480/- and e) Highly-skilled Grade-1 Workers in the pay scale of Rs.480-560/-. As a consequence of so many categories of workers the obvious question which arose was one of fitment. All unskilled Mazdoors and Chowkidars who passed the test were initially classified into 'skilled' category, but later on it was discovered that such classification was wrong and consequently directions were issued to fit such workers into semi-skilled categories and directions were also issued sometime in 1987 to recover the excess amount paid to such workers during period 1984 to 1986.