JATINDER PAL SINGH Vs. STATE OF PUNJAB

JUDGEMENT

(1.) This judgment shall dispose of CWP Nos.16709, 17293, 18137, 14794 and 16814 of 2017, as common questions of law and fact are involved for adjudication. For the sake of convenience, facts are taken from CWP No.16709 of 2017.

(2.) The present writ petition has been filed by the petitioner(s) invoking the jurisdiction of this Court under Articles 226/227 of the Constitution of India, for issuance of a writ in the nature of mandamus, directing respondents No.1 to 3 to take a final decision on letter dtd. 4/2/2016 (Annexure P-2), whereby the approval has been granted by the Board of Directors in the meeting held on 11/1/2016, whereby it was approved to send the case of pay-scale of officers/officials of different categories, for removal of anomalies in their pay-scales, as per the details given in agenda Item No.2 and it was requested that approval may be given to remove the anomalies in the pay-scales of officers/officials of the Mandi Board.

(3.) Brief facts, as have been pleaded by the petitioners in the present writ petition, are that the petitioners are employees of Punjab Mandi Board Market Committees and are working as Mandi Supervisors-cum-Fee Collectors and Auction Recorders. The case set up by the petitioners in the writ petition is that prior to 1/12/2011, the pay- scales of Mandi Supervisors were at par with Senior Assistants and similar was the position with regard to the post of Auction Recorders, whose pay-scale was also same as that of Junior Assistants and whereas w.e.f. 1/12/2011, after revision of pay-scales, anomaly has been created and the Senior Assistants have been placed in a higher Grade Pay of Rs.4400.00 than that of Mandi Supervisors and similarly, Junior Assistants have been placed in a higher Grade Pay than that of Auction Recorders. The comparative chart with regard to above posts reproduced in the writ petition(s), showing their pay-scales and grade pay is reproduced, which reads as under:-