UNION OF INDIA Vs. RAM AVTAR

JUDGEMENT

(1.) This order will dispose of 4 appeals i.e. Regular Second Appeals No. 2608, 2609, 2610 and 2611 of 1989 filed by Union of India to impugn the judgment passed by the First Appellate Court allowing the minimum of the pay scale to the respondents-plaintiffs in respective cases on the ground that they are performing the same or identical duties with those who are employed on regular basis.

(2.) The respondents-plaintiffs, who are working as casual labourers with General Reserve Engineering Force (GREF), had filed a suit for seeking declaration that they are entitled to pay as admissible to other counterpart doing the same job in the Department on the principle of 'Equal Pay for Equal Work'. The respondents plaintiffs were working as causal labourers with GREF since 1978-79. The GREF being an integral part of the armed forces, the provisions of the Army Act has been applied to this force. The force has thus employed pioneers in its organization and they are doing the job of construction and maintenance of roads and buildings and loading/unloading of stores. The same duties or jobs are being assigned to the respondents- plaintiffs but they were being paid much less as compared to the regular employees i.e. the pioneers.

(3.) The respondents-plaintiffs thus filed the suit by praying for grant of 'Equal Pay for Equal Work' and pleaded that they would be entitled to receive same salary as was being paid to the pioneer employed to the force.