Bhopinder Singh Dhillon, J. - (1.) This judgment will dispose of C.W.P. Nos. 3310, 5149 of 1978 and 97 and 677 of 1979. Since the question of law Involven in all these writ petitions is common, therefore, the same are being disposed of by a common judgment. Petitioners in C.W.P. No. 677 of 1979 are employees in the cadre of the Agriculture Department in the State of Haryana whereas petitioners in C.W.P. No. 97 of 1979 are employees in the cadre of Agriculture Department of the Punjab Government Petitioners in C.W.P. Nos. 3310 and 5149 of 1978 were also employees of the Agriculture Department to begin with The petitioners in all the four writ petitions are admittedly governed by the Rules called Punjab Subordinate Agricultural Service Rules, 1933 (hereinafter referred to as the Rules).
(2.) The Punjab Government decided to upgrade the Head Offices of various departments including that of the Agriculture Department from B - Class to A Class with effect from 23rd Feb., 1977. Copy of the order embodying this decision is Annexure P-5 with C.W P. No. 97 of 1979. The net result of this decision was that the employees working in the Head Office of the Agriculture Department were entitled to higher grade of pay than the employees, who were working in the subordinate offices which continued to be B-Class Offices. The Haryana Government took a similar decision upgrading the Head Office of the Director of Agriculture from B-Class to A-Class vide letter dated 8th Feb., 1979, copy of which is Annexure P-5 with C.W.P. No. 677 of 1979. Consequently the employees working in the Head Office of the Director of Agriculture of the State of Haryana were entitled to higher pay scales than the employees working in the subordinate departments.
(3.) As regards C.W.P. No. 3310 and 5149 of 1978, the petitioners, as already observed, in both these writ petitions,were employees of Agriculture Department to begin with. On 15th Dec. 1969, the Punjab Government ordered the separation of Soil Conservation Wing of the: Agriculture Department, Punjab from the Agriculture Department and created a separate Directorate of Soil Conservation and Engineering. The new department was to be headed by the Chief Conservator of Soils. This decision is contained in the memo copy of which is Annexure P-2 with C.W.P. No. 3310 of 1978. The employees, who were sought to be taken In the Soil Conservation Department out of the Agriculture Department, felt aggrieved against this decision and challenged the said decision of the Government in C.W.P. No. 2587 of 1972. This decision was dismissed by a learned Judge of this Court on 22nd Aug. 1974 holding that the petitioners were not being put to any disadvantage by the creation of the new department. While dismissing the petition, it was observed that if the petitioners are put to any financial loss in future, they may seek appropriate remedy, if they so desire.;