S B SARKAR Vs. UNION OF INDIA

JUDGEMENT

(1.) Special leave granted.

(2.) Station Masters of South Eastern Railway are aggrieved by implementation of the scheme of restructuring by the Chief Personnel Officer framed by the Railway Board for 'C' and 'D' cadre. Their claim was not accepted by the Central Administrative Tribunal as implementation as such was beneficial to the majority. It was further found that alternative 'I' of the scheme meant for the combined cadre was rightly adopted as the cadre of Assistant Station Master (ASM) and Station Master (SM) in the South Eastern Zone was combined before 1983. The appellants have challenged correctness of these findings. They also claim that implementation of scheme is highly unjust and inequitable.

(3.) Prior to restructuring the cadre comprised of Assistant Station Masters at the bottom and Station Superintendent at the top. Initial appointment of ASM was made in the scale of Rs.360-540. The promotional ladder bifurcated into (i) ASM to ASM and (ii) ASM to SM, both in the scale of Rs. 425640 (non-selection) and then Rs. 455-700 (selection) before becoming one common source for promotion to Deputy Station Superintendent/ SM Rs. 550-750 (non-selection), Rs. 700-800 Station Superintendent (selection) and Rs. 840-1010 Station Superintendent (non-selection). For moving up the promotional ladder every ASM was required to opt if he would proceed on the channel of ASM to ASM or ASM to SM. Restructuring was done in 'C' and 'D' cadres in the scales, designation and percentage in selection and non-selection posts. Two alternatives were framed described as alternative 'I' for the combined cadre and alternative 'II' for the separate cadres. They were to be adopted by the respective zones depending on the cadre pattern prevalent there.