D.G.R. Patnaik, J. - (1.) HEARD counsel for the parties.
(2.) CHALLENGE in this writ application is to the letter dated 8 10.2001 (Annexure -3) issued under the signature of Deputy Secretary, Department of Finance, Government of Jharkhand whereby it has been declared that persons including the petitioners who were appointed after 1.4.1981, will get lower scale of pay. Besides praying for quashing the aforesaid letter, the petitioners have also prayed for a direction upon the respondents to give them the revised pay scale of Rs. 5000 -8000/ - at par with the other Assistants who are also employed in the Forest Department. The petitioners who were appointed in the Department after 1.4.1981, are working as Assistants in the Trading Division of the Forest Department, State of Jharkhand and are presently posted at Chaibasa.
(3.) PRIOR to 1981, in the Field Establishment Department within the Forest Department, there were different scales in respect of Inspector Amin, Forester and Lower Division Assistant. Vide resolution dated 30th December 1981 adopted by the State Government, the aforesaid three separate scales were clubbed together and fixed at Rs. 580 -860/ - and in course of subsequent pay revision, the scale of pay of the Assistant was fixed at Rs 4000 -6000/ -. While this scale of pay continued for all the Assistants, by the impugned notification dated 8.10.2001 (Annexure -3), a Special Pay at higher scale was introduced and fixed in respect of such Assistants who were appointed prior to 1.4.1981, at the scale of Rs. 5000 -8000/ - and the scale of the petitioners and similarly situated other Assistants who were appointed after 1981, continued to remain at Rs. 4000 -6000/ - and was made effective from 1.1.1996.;