The Punjab and Haryana High Court strongly criticized the Haryana Government for granting just a Rs 1 increase in the pay scale of Executive Engineers, in compliance with the High Court’s earlier direction to revise salaries-terming the move as mockery of court’s orders. The bench, comprising Justice Sanjeev Prakash Sharma and Justice Meenakshi I. Mehta, termed the revised pay as “non-functional” and “patently illegal.”
“The action of the State authorities makes a mockery of the Court’s orders. Officers responsible for such decisions must be held accountable. We strongly disapprove of this practice, which amounts to mere lip service to judicial directives.”, the judges remarked. The sharp observations came during a hearing on the Haryana government’s appeal against a single judge’s ruling that directed the revision of pay scales for Executive Engineers and Superintending Engineers.
The case was filed in 2012 when the Haryana Federation of Engineers, Hisar, petitioned the Court, seeking a revision in pay scales for Executive Engineers and Superintending Engineers. They demanded that the Executive Engineers should receive a pay scale one step higher than Assistant Engineers and the Superintending Engineers should receive a pay scale one step higher than Executive Engineers.
The single judge had ruled in favor of the federation, stating that Executive Engineers and Superintending Engineers deserved higher standard pay scales, effective from May 1, 1989, to December 31, 1995. The Court also directed the government to release all consequential benefits, including arrears, to eligible engineers within six weeks. Instead of complying with the ruling, the Haryana Government revised the pay scale for Executive Engineers by a mere Rs 1, which the High Court deemed a deliberate disregard for its orders. The Court noted that this action undermined the intent of the single judge’s judgment and deprived the engineers of their rightful benefits.
The bench emphasized the need for strict compliance with judicial orders and hinted at possible consequences for officers responsible for such defiance.
