Court asks state to set up committee

Saurabh Malik

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, October 28

The Punjab and Haryana High Court has directed Haryana to form a high-powered committee to remove anomalies in pay scales of attorneys/public prosecutors. The Chief Secretary will head the committee.

The order came on a petition filed against Haryana and other respondents more than a year after the plea for revised pay scales was turned down. The All-Haryana Attorneys Welfare Association had filed the plea through counsel Ravinder Malik.

Taking up the matter, Justice Anupinder Singh Grewal asserted that it would be in the interest of justice if the petitioner-Association’s case was considered by a high-powered committee as the Pay Anomaly Commission was not in existence any more.

“Therefore, I dispose of the petition with a direction to the respondents to constitute a committee headed by the Chief Secretary, which will also comprise the Principal Secretaries, Departments of Home and Finance, as well as Director (Prosecution), as its members, to examine the case of the petitioner-Association and decide the same in accordance with law,” Justice Grewal said.

For the purpose, Justice Grewal has set six months’ deadline.

During the course of arguments, the counsel for the petitioner-Association had earlier contended that the Haryana Principal Secretary (Finance) had, on May 14, 2015, rejected the petitioner’s case.

He added the matter was required to be considered by the Pay Anomaly and Grievances Redressal Committee. He also contended the case of the petitioner-Association deserved to be referred to a committee for its consideration, as was done in the case of their counterparts in Punjab.

He also drew the court’s attention to an order dated March 5, 2012, passed in the case of District Attorneys Associations versus Punjab and others, wherein a co-ordinate Bench of the High Court referred the matter pertaining to pay scales to a committee comprising Principal Secretaries of Finance and Home Affairs, Director, Prosecution Litigation, and Advocate General.

After hearing arguments, Justice Grewal said that although the petitioner-Association was not found entitled to the upgraded and revised pay scales as demanded by them, it was observed in the May 14, 2015, order that the petitioner-Association may make a representation to the Pay Anomaly Commission constituted vide a notification dated September 11, 2014.

“Indisputably, the Pay Anomaly Commission has submitted its report on completion of its term,” Justice Grewal added.