(1.) Heard Ms. P. Bhattacharya, the learned counsel appearing for the petitioner.
(2.) The petitioner is serving as a Stenographer Grade-I in the AIDC and she challenges the office order dated 29.5.2008 (Annedxure-9), whereby the benefit of pay step up granted to make her salary at par with another Grade-I Stenographer Tapan Kumar Sarma (respondent No.5), was ordered to be kept in abeyance, by the Managing Director of the AIDC. The pay of the petitioner was stepped up on 19.9.2000 (Annexure-8), by re-fixing her basic pay at Rs.7350/- w.e.f. 1.4.1997 to provide her equal pay with her junior colleague.
(3.) The petitioner was appointed as Stenographer Grade-III in the AIDC on 2.8.1984 (Annexure-1) and she was promoted as Grade-I Stenographer on 4.12.1993 (Annexure-3). On the other hand, the respondent No.5 Tapan Kumar Sarma was initially inducted as a Grade-III Stenographer in the AIDC on 30.8.1982 but he resigned his job on 31.12.1985 and he joined the Assam Syntex Ltd. (in short 'the ASL') on 1.1.1986, as a Stenographer Grade-II. He was promoted to Grade-I in ASL. Subsequently the respondent No.5 returned back to AIDC on lien on 13.9.1993 as a Grade-I Stenographer. Eventually when regular vacancy of Grade-I Stenographer became available in AIDC, the respondent No.5 was absorbed in that vacancy on 1.4.1997 (Annexure-4).