STATE OF PUNJAB Vs. R.K.AGGARWAL

JUDGEMENT

(1.) This Letter Patent Appeal is instituted against the judgment rendered by the learned Single Judge in CWP-2605-1998 and analogous matters decided on 02.07.2014. However in order to maintain the clarity, the learned Single Judge has taken into consideration the facts of CWP-2605- 1998.

(2.) The brief facts necessary for the adjudication of the appeal are that the Junior Engineers working in the department of PWD (Public Health) as per the facts of CWP-2605-1998 instituted in this Court pleading therein that in the matter of granting of revision of pay scale, they were being treated at par with the Junior Engineers working in the Department of Soil Conservation with effect from 1968 up to 1993. In the year 1968, pay scale of the respondents as well as that of Junior Engineers working in the Soil Conservation Department was Rs.200-450/-. The pay scale of the respondents as well as of Junior Engineers working in the Soil Conservation Department, was revised to Rs.700-1200/- with effect from 01.01.1978. The parity was maintained till 01.01.1986. The respondents as well as Junior Engineers of the Soil Conservation Department were granted revised pay scale Rs.1800-3200/-. The Junior Engineers serving in the Soil Conservation Department filed bunch of petitions before this Court including CWP-11511-1993 claiming therein the pay scale of Rs.2000- 3500/- instead of Rs.1800-3200/- with effect from 01.01.1986. They further claimed revision of pay scale of Rs.2200-4000/- with effect from 01.01.1991. The writ petitions filed by the Junior Engineers were allowed by this Court vide judgment dated 14.12.1995. The appellant-State filed different LPAs including LPA-581-1996. The LPAs were dismissed by this Court vide order dated 31.10.1996. The appellant-State filed SLPs before the Hon'ble Supreme Court. The Hon'ble Supreme Court dismissed the same vide order dated 19.03.1997. The appellant-State also filed review petitions no.1628-32 of 1997 in as many as five special leave petitions. The review petitions were also dismissed by the Hon'ble Supreme Court vide order dated 23.07.1997.

(3.) The respondents herein made representations seeking pay scale of Rs.2000-3500/- with effect from 01.01.1986 and the pay scale of Rs.2200-4000/- with effect from 01.01.1991 as well as proficiency step up of Rs.3000-4500/- after completion of eight years service and second proficiency step up of Rs.3700-5300/- after completion of eighteen years of service at par with the Junior Engineers working in the Soil Conservation Department. The representations made by the respondents were rejected by the State on 16.06.1997. It is in these circumstances the respondents approached this Court by filing writ petitions.