PUNJAB ELECTRICITY BOARD Vs. DARSHAN SINGH RANA

JUDGEMENT

(1.) LEARNED Counsel for the parties state that decision in Civil Writ Petition No. 421 of 1987 will also decide the fate of the other four petitions. Consequently, we propose to dispose of the aforementioned five writ petitions by this common judgment. However, reference hereunder is being made to the facts in Writ Petition No. 421 of 1987.

(2.) PETITIONER-BOARD constituted under the Indian Electricity (Supply) Act, 1948 has number of Power Projects, one of which is located at Shanan in Jogindernagar of District Mandi, Himachal Pradesh, known as Shanan Power House. Respondents No. 1 to 12 have been working as Machine Attendants and Assistant Machine Attendants. There has been revision of pay-scales applicable for numerous categories of employees of the petitioner Board effective from January 1, 1978. Respondents felt aggrieved due to the alleged anomalies in their pay-scale. Prior to January 1, 1978, Machine Attendants and Assistant Machine Attendants were in the pay scale of 130-51-50/6-190/10-200 and 110-4-122/5-142/6-190, respectively. The Machine Attendants claimed that they had been performing the duties like Auxiliary Plant Attendants and ought to have been put in the pay-scale of Rs. 10001200 instead of Rs. 400-600 and consequently the Assistant Machine Attendants also ought to have been put in the higher pay-scale admissible to Junior Plant Attendants. A dispute was raised. The State Government through Notification dated March 4, 1985 referred the following dispute to the Industrial Tribunal:-

(3.) THE Respondents filed their claim Annexure-F before the Industrial Tribunal. In reply to this, Annexure-G was filed by the petitioner. The Tribunal formulated the following issues for determination on October 6, 1985.