Friday, March 1, 2013

SUPREME COURT ORDERS PAYMENT OF V PC ARREARS
           Dated: 26th February 2013
 
Dear Comrades,
Another feather to AIRASA’s Cap. Justice has prevailed. All the eligible Accounts Staff will get V PC arrears of Improved Payscales for the period from 1-1-96 to 18-02-2003.
It is history that after a sustained struggle, in 2003, the Railway Accounts employees under the banner of AIRASA achieved improved Pay scales in the V PC. The same was granted notionally with effect from 1.1.1996 and actually from 19.2.2003.
Few members of AIRASA in Trivandrum (Shri Jose Sebastian and 4 others) challenged the decision of the Railway Board (ie Govt) to grant the higher pay scale from 19.2.12003 and demanded that higher pay (and subsequent arrears of pay) be paid from 1.1.1996, in the CAT, Ernakulam.
CAT, Ernakulam, on 30.6.2006, quashed the order of Railway Board granting notional fixation from 1.1.1996 to 18.2.2003 and directed that the higher pay scale be paid in real terms with effect from 1.1.1996. The Railway board moved HC of Kerala against this directive of the CAT, Ernakulam. Finding no merit in the writ petition moved by the Railway Board, the HC of Kerala rejected the appeal (27.3.2012).
Railway Board planned to move the SC. The petitioners (only three are still in service, other two have since retired)under the guidance and support of AIRASA and its General Secretary M.S. Unnikrishnan filed caveat in the SC so that the SLP by the Railway Board is not admitted without hearing the original petitioners.
The case finally came up for admission on 25th February 2013 and the SC rejected the SLP, rather the SLP moved by the Railway Board was not admitted – ie the CAT directive to pay arrears of pay from 1.1.1996 is upheld.
The case has come to finality.  AIRASA will follow up with Railway board on receipt of the Copy of the Order to implement the directive of the Court.
Other pending demands including MACP anomalies are being followed up regularly and a team of Office bearers will meet Board Officials shortly in this regard.
With greetings,
Yours fraternally
 
(M.S.unnikrishnan )
General Secretary

1 comment:

Shahid Fazal said...

This indeed has been due to the dedicated efforts of A.I.R.A.S.A.