INDER SINGH Vs. STATE OF PUNJAB

JUDGEMENT

(1.) The challenge in the instant writ petition is to the order dated 27/28.12.2012, Annexure P10, whereby the claim of the petitioner for grant of identical pay scale to the Milk Recorders under the Department of Animal Husbandary, State of Punjab as admissible to the Junior Field Investigators working in the same Department has been rejected.

(2.) Brief facts are that the petitioner joined service in the respondent-Department as Milk Recorder on 9.1.1979. He retired on 31.3.2012 upon attaining the age of superannuation while serving as Junior Field Investigator.

(3.) It is pleaded that the posts of Milk Recorders were filled up in the respondent-Department for the first time in the year 1958 in the pay scale of Rs. 75-125. The prescribed qualification at that point of time was F.Sc. In the year 1968, the pay scales of Milk Recorders were revised to Rs. 130-200 and the revised qualifications prescribed were 'Matric or Higher Secondary with Science (2nd Division) with three years field experience'. The posts of Junior Field Investigators were created in the year 1971- 72 with qualifications prescribed as 'Matric 2nd Division with Science' in the pay scale of Rs. 140-300. In the year 1978, the pay scales were revised and Junior Field Investigators were granted the pay scale of Rs. 450-800 while Milk Recorders were granted the scale of Rs. 400-600. The Milk Recorders Union filed Civil Writ Petition No.11092 of 1988 in this Court claiming pay parity between the posts of Milk Recorders and Junior Field Investigators. Such writ petition was disposed of vide order dated 15.12.2008 with a direction to the respondents to constitute an Expert Committee to examine the issue as regards pay parity and such Committee was to submit its recommendations to the State Government to facilitate the taking of a final decision.