Govind Mathur, J. - (1.) The petitioners are employees of the Rajasthan State Cooperative Spinning and Ginning Mills Federation Ltd (SPINFED). Their services are governed and regulated by the Rajasthan State Cooperative Spinning and Ginning Mills Federation Employees Service Rules, 1994 (for short 'the Rules of 1994' hereinafter). As per Rule 6.12 (Chapter IV) of the Rules of 1994, an increment shall ordinarily be drawn as a matter of course, unless it is withheld by the authority empowered to withhold such increment under Conduct and Discipline Rules. The Rule aforesaid further provides that any order withholding an increment shall state the period for which it is withheld and whether the postponement shall have the effect of postponing future increments.
(2.) The Spinfed being under losses and also being undergoing modernization and rehabilization of the project entered into an agreement with the employees on 14.9.2004 for not granting annual grade increments for a term of five years and the term aforesaid expired on 30.11.2009.
(3.) The grievance of the petitioners is that despite expiry of the term of five years, the respondent-employer is not releasing annual grade increments.;