TRI L T B E F O R E H EC E N T R AA D M I N I S T R A T I V E B U N A L B MADRAS ENCH ls l rib t h eA d m i n i s t r a tTv e u n aA c t '1 9 8 5 ) ( U n d eS e c1 9o f r

r\^ o A N O q ' / o F2 o o 9 b
1. S.PRABHU-II nts Accou Officer' Assistant General(A&E) Accountant O/o The i t, S , 3 6 1 - A n n a a l a iT e y n a m p e C h e n n a6 0 00 1 8 A n d 1 5o t h e r s
VS

Applicants

o Union f India to Rep.by Secretary Government & Grievances Pension Public of Ministry Personne.l, & of (Department Personnel Training) NorthBlock,New Delhi Respondents And 66 others

SYNOPSIS who partyrespondents of Conferment higherstatusand highergradepay to the gradepay' statusand rankto the the lowerpostsand denying irigher are holding AssuredCareer of implementation the MACP (Modified by applicants erroneous pay band was Scheme)scheme- new conceptof grade pay and Progression the implementing M A C P scheme introduceclsecondand third respondents at the gradepay of the partyrespondents Rs 5400 have refixed in Pay Band 2'

In partyresponoents in The actionof the secondand thirdrespondents fixingthe

thegradeofRs'54O0andinnotconferringthebenefitsofthesaidschemein position that is and is favorof the applicants whollyarbitrary illegal.The resultant basisas S' Os on who havebeenpromoted a regular the applicants and someof

are functions continued out as themthereafter A. A. Os and carrying supervisory who while the party respondents to remain in the grade pay of Rs, 4BOO, have been elevatedto the in continued the lower post of senior Accountants are the In gradepay of Rs.5400. the abovecircumstances applicants filingthis mentioned relief's for seeking the various Application Original

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D E T A I ! _C F A . P L t C A T | O N S S A 1 ) P A R T T C U L A R S T H E O R D E R 3 A t N S TW H I C HT H I SA P P L I C A T I O lN OF MADE: l ) O f f i c e r d e rN o . , . . O i i ) D a t eo f t h e o r d e r . . . V 8 2 i s s - : : - 3 s : :l , G l . I / M A C P S / 2 0 0 9 - 1 0 / 6 3 03-08-2::= O / ot h e A G ( A & E ) ,

. i i i )A u t h o r i tb y w h o mp a s s e d . . D A G : - n ) y

respondents) Tan: '.a:l (Third

I S U B J E C TN B R I E F : who of Conferment higherstatusand highergradepay to the partyrespondenls the lowerpostsand denying highergradepay,statusand rankto the are holding of implementation the MACPscheme by applicants erroneous humblysubmitthat the subjectmatterin this The 2) JURISDICTION: appticants prescribedunder SecS(q) rlf the is applicaiion well within the jurisdiction Act. 1985. Tribunals Administrative 3) is furlher submit that his application filed LIMITATION: The Applicants

within the limitationperiod stipulatedunder sec.21 of the Administrative T r i b u n a lA c t , 1 9 8 5 . s

O 4 ) F A C T S FT H EC A S E : and in are l) The Applicants employed the officeof the third respondent referred as A.A.o)and to (hereinafter Officer the holding postof Asst.Accounts of the entered service the The as functioning suchin the saidoffice. Applicants entrylevelpost. Afterhaving whichis the lowest as thirdrespondent clerks, as to theycame be promoted Accountants for in served thatcapacity, sometime, Accountants. andlater senior as

ii) The next higher post in the hierarchy was the pcst of Sectron()ffrcer (hereinafter referred as S.O) to which promotrons to were made from pr:rsons who had passedthe SectionOfficers GradeExamination (hereinafter referred to a s S . O . G . E )P r o m o t i o nts t h e s a i dp o s to f S . Ow a s b a s e do n p a s s i n g . OG . E . o S batchsenjority.

i i i )T h e a p p l i c a n th a d p a s s e d h e S . O . G . E n d t h e r e f o r c a m e t o b e s t a e promoted S.Osbased theirbatch as on senlority andwhenvacancies as arose The Applicants submit that candidates did not passthe S.O.G.E who werenot entitled promotion the postof S.Oandthehigher for postthattheycould to reach is the postof Supervisor promotion the category Senior from on of Accountant. postto the postof S.O.is the postof TheApplicants submit the nexthigher that partof Group A.A.O whichcarries higher a scale payand rankandformed of B Gazetted status. TheApplicants respectfully submit thecondrtions service that of of persons the applicants like serving the Indian in Audit& Accounts Department is prescribed rulesmadeby the President India by of afterconsultation the with second respondent Comptroller Auditor viz., and General lndia, terms art. of in of 148(5) the Constitution India. In terms the saidArticle, President of of of the of India after consultation with the secondresDondent has made rullesand regulations, methodof recruitment variousposts in the department the to including the posts of A.A.Os & S.O. (Accounts). the appointrnents/ All promotions theapplicants made terms theabove of were in of rul6s. statutory (iv) The Applicants submit thatin the year 1999, scheme a known as

Assured Career Progression scheme wasintroduced the Central by Government pursuant the recommendation Vth Pay Commission. saidscheme to of the The wasevolved dealwiththe problem genuine to of stagnation hardship and faced by the employees to lackof adequate promotional due avenues. The sr:heme contemplated financial two upgradations, on completion 12 yearsand one of

another completion 24 yearsof regular on of service from the date of entry.Such financial upgradation was permissible only if no regularpromotions durirrg the aboveprescribed periodof 12 yearsand 24 years have been availedof by the personnel. The grantof such financial upgradation subject the fulfillmr:nt is to of the normalpromotional norms.The financral upgradation was given in the next highergradein accordance withthe hierarchv oosts. of

(v)

T h e A p p l i c a n ts u b m i t h a t a s p e r t h e a b o v eA . C . p .s c h e m e t h e ,

personnel were entitledto the first benefitsof upgradation after 12 years of servicesubjectto their not havinggot any promotion during the said period They are further entitled the secondfinancial to upgradation aftercompletion of 24 years of service subject to their not having got the Znd promotion. The upgradation to the next highergradein the hierarchy posts.The frnancia was of upgradation restricted is onlyto two stagesreferred above. to (vi) The Applicants submitthat so far therehad not been =ny problem

In the implementation the variousordersreferred above.In the year 200g, of to the Govt. of india introduced modified a A.c,p. scheme known as Modified Assuredcareer Progression scheme on the recommendations the Vl central of Pay commission with effectfrom 1.g,20o8 The saiient features of the sr;heme jn whichhas givenriseto the issuesinvolved this O.A are as follows: (A) Grant of 3 financial upgradations completion 10. 20 and 30 on of

yearsof continuous regular service. (B) The schemewas to be admissible whenever personhas soent.1O a

yearscontinuous service the samegradepay. in (C ) Financjal upgradation to be donestricily accordance the was in with

hierarchyof gradepays in the pay bandas provided the u.u.5 Kevtsoo in Pay Rules 0OB 2

ll

( i x 1 T h e A p p l i c a n r s u o m t rr n a l t h e i m p l e m e n i a i i oo f t h e V l P a y n C o m m i s s i o nr' e c o m m e n d a t i oe s u l t e i n t h e R e v r s e d a v R u l e s f 2 O 0 B u t a s rn d P o b
nF\^/ a^naant df n'r:'d,a narr rnri narr hand r.,ras r

introOuced. The said

provided the gradepay in the post recommendations the Pay Commission of for r,vhich of SeniorAccountants Rs.4200/as was acceptedand implemented by n t h e G o v t . f I n d i a n d t h e s a i dp o s tw a s i n c l u d e id P a yB a n d2 . o a (vii) The Applicants submjtthat on account the implementation the of of pay rules,the app cants recommendations the revised and Vl Pay commission as who were holdlng the post of A.A.Oafterhavingbeen promoted such as v/ell as who were holdingthe post of S.Os havingbeen promoted as the applicants and known as A.A.OSand were fixed in the such and came to be integrated gradepay of Rs.4800 Pay Band2. in (viii) submitthat while mattersstood thus, the second The Applicants

h t tg a n dt h i r dr e s p o n d e n tw , r l e m p l e m e n t i nh e M . A . C . Ps. c h e m e a v er e f i x e dh e sh i gradepay of the partyrespondents Rs,5400 Pay Band 2. The actionof the at in in in secondand third respondents fixingthe party respondents the gracleof the of Rs.5400and in not conferring benefits the said schemein favourof the applicants wholly arbitraryand illegal. The resultantpositionis that the is who have been promoted on a regularbasis as S.Os and some of applicants functions are conlinued them thereafter A.A.Osand carrying supervisory as out to who remain in the grade pay of Rs,4800,while the party respondents

to continued the lower post of SeniorAccountantshave been elevated the in grade pay of Rs.5400,The Applicantssubmit that the applicantsholding postsand are functional A,A.Os supervising partyrespondents. the supervisory The grade pay determines the rank and statusof the personnel includirrg the perquisites benefits.In the abovecircumstances applicants filirrg and the are this Application for Original seeking the variousreliefs mentioned the reliefcolumn in

- 3 a g g r r e v e d y t h e a c t i o no f t h e b ( i x ) T h eA p p l i c a n t s u b r n r i ^ a : : - = . . : = r e s p o n d e n th a v e m a d e r e p r e s e : : a : : - s: : i r e s e c o n da n d t h i r d r e s p o n d e n t s s t o s e e i < i nf o r t h e i s s L : e f a p p r c p r . a : : - : : : s g r a n t i n gh e m t h e p a y g r a d eo f 3 w t a R s . 5 4 O On d m a i n t a i nh e s t a t u sc ' : ^ : : : p l i c a n t s a s c o m p a r e d i t h t h e p a r t y n r e s p o n d e n t sH o w e v e r o a c t i o nh a s : : e n t a k e no n t h e s a i d r e p r e s e n l a t i o n s . justice' seeking Tribunal th are and hencethe applicants before s Hcn'ble

W 5 ) G R O U N D S I T HL E G A LP R O V I S I O N S :

a)TheApplicantssubmitthatthepartyrespondentswerea|lre()ru -125-7000, saidparty The sca|eof Rs,4500 in as Accountants the pre-revised

respondentsal|cametobepromotedasSeniorAccountantsinthepre.nrvi sca|eofRs.55OO-175-9OOOThesaidrespondentshavenotpassedth officersand as for lvereineligible promotion section and examina|on therefore which he i ts as r c o n t i n u e d S e n i oA c c o u n t a nW h i l em p l e m e n t itn g A C P s c h e m e ' 24 who respondents hadcompleted the was in voguepriorto 20OB, party yeats

in inglU raded upg and upgradation wereaccord to wereentitled second of service

thescaleofRs'6500-200.10500'TheV|PayCommissionrecommendedgr

payforSeniorAccountantsasRs.42OO'(Seria|no,12lS-llofRevisedscer in the grantedto themunder A C P Scheme The paystatement.) upgradation scales wasto scale the pre-revised of Rs.6500-20O-'105OO be fixedin the revised intoforceof of pay in the gradepay of Rs4600l-inPay Band2 Aftercoming of on upgradation completion 30 providing thirdfinancial for MACPScheme in to years, theywouldbe entitled be fixedin the gradepay of Rs.4800/- Pay 2 the to Band2. But contrary the aboveprinciples, respondents and 3 have of scaleof pay of the partyrespondents ACP scheme the treated erstwhile post to as equivalent the scaleof the integrated of So and Rs.65OO-200-10500 the while payof 48001 andconsequently implementing AAOandfixed thegrade

a-)

M A C Ps c h e m eh a v e a d v a n c e :: ^ a - : : ' . - = . a r ' s c a l eo f R s . 5 4 O O T.h e a b o v e f actionof the official respondents : : - - -:3nsistentand contrary both the s to revisedpay Rules as well as the l','.:l: s::.teme and hence deservesto be rectified.

b)

The Applicants submittna: as referred already, to admittedly they

are holdingthe position Asst. Acco-::s officers the regularhierarchy of in and are supervising work of their subordLnates the including partyrespondents. the The party respondents were holdingthe post of SeniorAccountants which are two stageslowerthan the post held by the applicants and continued be so. to The implementation the revisedPay Rules and the MACP scheme by the of official respondents whollyillegaland has resulted seriousanomalies is in and prejudice the applications the applicants to by being fixed in the grade pay of Rs 4B00l while the party respondents have been fixed in the grade pay of Rs.5400 with all oerouisrtes etc.

c)

Theapplicants submit as perthe Revised rules, that Pay 2008, the

rulesimplementing Vl Pay Commissjon's the recommendations, admittedlV the gradepay of Senior Accountants Rs,4200, is whilethe gradepay of Section pre-revised pay Officer Asst.Accounts and Officers integrated Rs.48O0l.The is postof Senior scales the above of Accountant Rs.5500was 175-9000 while that of the Section Officers was 6500-200-10500 A.A.Os carried scaleof and the Rs7450-225-11500. giving While effect theACPscheme, the pre-n:vised to in pay scalesthe SeniorAccountants were entitled Rs.6 to 500-20010500 on account second grade payin the of financial upgradation thecorresponding and pay revised bandwouldbe onlyRs.4600. is on account the serious lt of infirmity and error committed the officialrespondents, subordinates the by the r>f

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ied. to be rectif d) r t T h e A p p l i c a n ts u b - : : ^ : : - : ^ , ' e v e n th a v i n g e g a r d o t h e f a c t

who \',/ere : r - j :he position SeniorAccountants of that the partyrespondents f u n c t i o n a l i n f e r i otrh a n t h e a p p lc a ^ : s : : - r , c t b e f i x e di n a g r a d ep a y h i g h e r ly than the applicants. The principles: : : :.'/n in F.R. 22 which providesfor removalof anomaliesby steppingup :-e pay of seniorswhen their juniors '," happento draw more pay on promotion iiJapply in greaterforce since in the inferiorsto the present case the party respondents!'/'ro are functionally held by to to have not even been qualified be promoted the position applicants submitthat the revisedpay rulesto the MACP the applicants.The Applicants superiorsand scheme in the manner impugnedhas resultedin functionally position be fixed at a gradepay which is lesserthan the to holding supervisory to rvho have not been promoted the gradepay fixed for the party respondents the position and who are performing dutiesand functions held by the applicants which are supervisedby the applicants. The above action cannot t,e bLIt as characterized wholly arbitraryand irrationaland thereforeliable to be Tribunal. with interfered by this Hon'ble e) submitthat the OfficeOrder No.82which confers The Applicants

Nos 4 to 68 who are holding to the gradepay of Rs.5400 the partyrespondents is the post of Senior Accountnants thereforewholly illegal and liable to be quasneo.

AL 6 ) E X H A U S T I O N D E P A R T M E N TR E M E D I E S : OF

under statutory remedy available TheApplicants declare thereis no other that relevant rules. service

t
P B A C 7) MATTERS ENDING EFORE li'r 3-:-iR TRIBUNAL OURTS: T h e a p p l i c a n t s e r e b y c e : a - . : - = : : - : . . i ' a d n o t p r e v i o u s l yi l e d a n y h f , o a p p l i c a t i o n ,r i t p e t i t i o no r s u i : ' e g = ' : - : : - . ' n a t t e ri n r e s p e c t { , y h i c ht h i s w v a p p l i c a t i o n s b e e nm a d eb e f o r e ' . : - - - . : : L a r ,o r a n y o t h e ra u t h o r i to r a n y ha a y l w i o t h e rb e n c ho f t h e T r j b u n an o r a n , - . - : - " : : l i c a t i o n , r i t i s p e n d i n g n a n y o f them.

B )R E L I E F O U G H T O R : S F

humblypray For the reasonsgivenin paras4 & 5 above,the Applicants may be pleased call for to Tribunal that this Honbie Tribunal beforethis Hon'ble by officeorderNo,82Dated3.8.2009isstred to the records related the impugned to and the 3'drespondent to quashthe same and to directthe respondents grant by the benefit the MACP schemein favourof the applicants fixingtheirgrade of date and to pass such other as Rs.5400with effect from the appropriate may deem fit and properand thus fender as order/orders this Hon'bleTribunal justice.

I 9) INTERIM RDER, FANY: O

it is that finalization the above of application, prayed thisHon'ble Pending pursuantto the 3'0 proceedings to Tribunal may be pleased stay all further proceedings so madein office no.82 dated3.8.2009 as to ernable respondents respondents than the status/rank theparty theapplicants retain higher to

BE O 1 0 )t N T H E E V E N T F T H E A P P L I C A T T O N I N GS E N TB Y R P A D : Notapplicable.

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1 1 )P a r t i c u l a r s f t h e l . P . O : o N o .o f l P O : Date of I P O Payable t: a 1 2 )L | S TO F E N C L O S U R E S :

A s g i v e ni n t h e r n d e x o t h r so r : gr - a : : p . i c a t i o n . t VERIFICATION We,
I,

S. PRABII U.II
Assistant AccountsOfflcer, O/o The Accountant General(A&E). 3 6 1 - A n n a a l a i , e y n a r n p eC,h e n n a6 0 00 i 8 S T t i

2.

K. SANKARANARAYANAN Assistant AccountsOffi cer, O/o The Accountant General(A&E), i 6 l - A n n a S a l a i T e y n a m p e C h e n n a6 0 00 1 8 , t, i A , M U N E E RA I { M E D Assistant AccountsOffi ccr, O / o T h e A c c o u n t a nG c n e r a l ( A & E ) . t i 6 l - A n n a S a l a i , e r . n a m p eC,h e n n a6 0 0 0 1 8 T t i S , R A N G A R A J A N- I I I Assistant AccountsOtficer, O/o The Accountant General(A&E), 3 6 1 - A n n a a l a i T e y n a n r p eC,h e n n a6 0 00 1 8 S , t i V ,S . J A Y A R A ] V l A N Assistant AccountsOffi cer, O/o The Accountant General(A&E), 3 6 1 - A n n a a l a i , e l n a r n p e t , h e n n a6 0 00 1 8 S T C i S,CIIANDR.,\MOU LI Assistant AccoLrnts Offlcer, O/o The AccoLrntant General(A&E), 3 6 1 - A n n a a l a i T e v n a n t p eC,h e n n a6 0 00 1 8 S , t i G. RAJAN Assistant Accorrnts Offi cer, O / oT h eA c c o u n t a n t e n e r a l ( A & E ) , G 3 6 1 - A n n a a l a i , ' l e y n a n r p e th e n n a6 0 0 0 1 8 S C, i SARASWATIII NARYANAN Assistant AccountsOffi cer, O/o The AccoLrntant General(A&E), 3 6 1 - A n n a a l a i T e l , n a n p e tC h e n n a6 0 00 1 8 S , , i

J,

l.

5.

6.

7.

8.

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9. I(,,}AYASREE A s s i s t aA) tc o n l sO ; : . - : rc u
O / o T h c A c c o u n t i l tC 3 ; t r i . - : . : . : t J 6 l - A r r nS l l a i . e r u a r : : ; r :- . : - . _ a l .)

10

T . L .SH A R A D A Assistant AccoLrnts ffi cer. O O ' o T i r cA c c o u n t r nC e l e r . r . i i : t i 6 l - , \ n n a S a l a i T e y n a r n p cC.: . : : : : , , r

, .S

ll

1i.

S,I1ANICKA]VI Assistant AccountsOfflcer, O/o The AccoLrntanr General(A&E. 3 6 1 - A n n S a l a iT e ; , n a r n p Cth e n : . :::, , , . S a , e , R. SHANTHI.III Assistant AccountsOffi cer. O / o T h e A c c o u n t a n t c n e r a l ( A & E. , G 3 6 1 - A n n S a l a iT e v n a t n p e t h e n n l : , U l 8 a , C, G.TH]T,AI(AVATIIY Assistant AccoLrnts cer, Offi O / o T h c A c c o u n t a n t c n e r a l ( A & E. G , -l'el 3 61 - A n n a a l l i , S n a t n p c tC h e n n : : , i 0 18 , 5 GEETHA KANNAN Assistant AccountsOf llcer, O / o T h eA c c o u n t a n r e n e r a l ( A & E ) , G 3 6 1 - A n n a a l a i 1 ' e y n a m p e t ,h e n n a6 0 0 0 1 8 S , C i S. RAJASEKAR Assistant AccountsOffi cer, O/o The Accountanr General(A&E). 3 6 1 - A n n a a l a i T e y n a r n p eC,h e n n a6 0 00 I 8 S , t i M.VAIRAMUTHU Assistant AccoLlnts cer, Offi O/o The Accountant General(A&E). 3 6 1 - A n n a a l a i , e l n a r r p e rC h e n n a6 0 00 1 8 S T , i

I .1.

15.

t6.

Do hereby verify the contents paras to ..,. Except that ln 1 para5 aretrueto the bestof my knowledge that in para5 is believed be trueon legaladvice and to andthatwe havenotsuppressed material any facts. Dated Chennai thisthe 12thday of September at on 200g.
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S. PRABHU

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