Morung Express News
Kohima | March 23
The Gauhati High Court Kohima Bench, on March 23, directed the Nagaland Government to consider time-bound scale of pay to the eligible members of the All Nagaland PWD Field Workers’ Association (ANPWDFWA) within 8 months.
Disposing off a writ petition filed the ANPWDFWA regarding the matter, the single-Bench Judge of Justice Nelson Sailo gave the direction to respondent authorities concerned ‘to consider the grant of time-bound scale of pay to the members of petitioners’ association as expeditiously as possible and within the outer limits of 8 months from the date of the receipt of its order.’
The ANPWDFWA, through its President, General Secretary and Joint Secretary, had approached the Court in November 2022, seeking direction on time-bound scale of pay, arguing that some of its entitled members are yet to be granted the benefits.
The time-bound scale of pay is as per the Rule 13 of the Nagaland Services (Revision of Pay) Rules, 1993 read with Rule 2(b), the association then stated. The ANPWDFWA also informed the Court that a legal notice dated October 12, 2022 was submitted to the Engineer-in-Chief, NPWD, Nagaland, Kohima regarding the issue.
However, with no positive response and being aggrieved, the association approached the Court for seeking appropriate direction.
During the resumption of the hearing on Thursday, it was informed that State respondents have filed affidavit-in opposition on February 13, 2023 wherein they admitted that members of the ANPWDFWA, who are eligible for the Nagaland Services (Revision of Pay) Rules, 1993, would be entitled to time-bound scale of pay.
The Senior Government Advocate representing the State respondents also pointed to a letter, contained in the counter affidavit, dated December 12, 2022 from the Finance Department to the Secretary Work & Housing Nagaland, affirming the entitlement.
Accordingly, the respondent authorities shall consider the same as per prevailing rules of the government, the counter affidavit had stated.
However, as the members of the petitioners’ association are in large numbers, it urged for sufficient time for the State respondents to undertake the process of granting the benefit to those entitled. During the oral proceedings on March 23, the Senior Government Advocate said that there were at least a thousand of them, if not several hundred and the process would take some time.
Considering the above claims of the petitioners and the stand of State respondents, in the counter affidavit, Justice Sailo disposed off the petition with the direction to respondent authorities to consider the grant of time-bound scale of pay expeditiously and within the outer limits of 8 months.
The State of Nagaland represented by the Chief Secretary; Commissioner and Secretary P&AR Department; Finance Commissioner; Commissioner And Secretary, Nagaland Works & Housing Department; Engineer-In-Chief NPWD, Chief Engineer PWD(H); Chief Engineer PWD (R&B); and Chief Engineer PWD (NH) were the state respondents of the case.
