Central Administrative Tribunal - Chandigarh
Sukhraj vs Garrison Engineer on 4 July, 2023
1- O.A. No. 1266/2022
CENTRAL ADMINISTRATIVE TRIBUNAL
CHANDIGARH BENCH
Original Application No.060/1266/2022
Chandigarh, this the 04th of July 2023
CORAM: HON'BLE MR. SURESH KUMAR BATRA, MEMBER (J)
1. MES No. 374498, Sukhraj s/o Sh. Jagir Singh, Elect HS-II
2. MES No. 374667, Sukhdev Singh s/o Hari Dass, HS-II
3. MES No. 376449, Balwinder Kumar s/o Surinder Pal, Elect, Mate
4. MES No. 375237, Harpal Singh s/o Harbhajan Singh, Refg Mech-HS-II
5. MES No. 372940, Emanual s/o Babu Lal, FGM, HS-II
6. MES No. 377405, Koushal Saini s/o Kamal Kumar, Elect, Mate
7. MES No. 374810, Prbhdyal Singh s/o Kashmira Singh, Refg Mech HS-II
8. MES No. 374848, Kuldeep Kumar s/o Resham Lal, Elect HS-II
9. MES No. 375324, Kamaljit s/o Ram Kishan, Refg Mech HS-II
10. MES No. 377403, Ramesh Yadav s/o Ram Yadav, FGM, Mate.
11. MES No. 374363, Gurnam Dass s/o Sant Ram, Elect, MCM
12. MES No. 372434, Amarjit S/o Sh. Lal Chand, MCM
13. MES No. 374127, ParaMJIT Singh S/o Resham Singh, MCM
14. MES No. 375938, Sandeep Kumar s/o Ashok Kumar, Refg Mech, SK
15. MES No. 375773, Balbir Singh s/o Sh. Amroo, Elect, SK
16. MES No. 370170, Managal Singh s/o Kapoor Singh, Elect, HS-II
17. MES No. 375947, Ram Kumar s/o Tara Chand, Mate Elect,
18. MES No. 369737, Sukhdev Singh s/o Gurnam Singh, elect HS-II
19. MES No. 506550, Sagarjit Singh s/o Harbans Singh, FGM HS-II
20. MES No. 375945, Karampreet Singh s/o Sh. Daljit Singh, Elect, SK
21. MES No. 509094, Daljit Singh s/o Mahinder Singh, Elect, HS-II
22. MES No. 374666, Ashwani Kumar s/o Sh. Ajit Parkash, Elect HS-II
23. MES No. 374673, Ashwani Kumar s/o Sh. Ganpat, Elect HS-II
24. MES No. 374885, Davinder Singh s/o Sh. Harbans Singh, Elect, SK
25. MES No. 375939, Gurjit Kumar s/o Bhajan Ram, Refg Mech SK
2- O.A. No. 1266/2022
26. MES No. 377407, Shambhu Lal Meena s/o Kailash Prasad Meena, Mate
Elect.
27. MES No. 375019, Joginder Pal s/o Sh. Sant Ram, Elect SK
28. MES No. 375942, Ankush Kumar s/o Sh. Rajinder Singh, Elect, SK
29. MES No. 377408, Pratipal Singh s/o Sh. Surenderajeet Singh, Mate,
FGM
30. MES No. 316452, Mandeep Singh s/o Darshan Singh, Mate FGM
31. A No. 1581245M, Jasbir Singh s/o Sh. Balru Ram, Mate FGM
32. MES No.374991, Ajay Kumar s/o Lal Chand, Elect SK
33. MES No. 508851, Krishan Kumar s/o Sh. Lamber Dass, Refg Mech HS-I
34. MES No. 373435, Gurnam Singh s/o Sewa Singh, Refg Mech HS-II
35. MES No. 374674, Kulwainder Singh s/o Dharam Pal Singh, Elect HS-II
36. MES No. 375665, Rakesh Kumar s/o Sh. Ram Rattan, Refg Mech HS-II
37. MES No. 373343, Yoginder Kumar Diwan s/o Arjun Dass, FGM HS-II
38. MES No. 373982, Satish Kumar s/o Sh. Mulakh Raj, FGM, HS-II
39. MES No. 374221, Surjit Singh s/o Sh. Jai Ram, FGM HS-II
40. MES No. 315967, Roshan Lal s/o Sh. Atma Singh, FGM SK
41. MES No. 375488, Smt. Sushma Devi w/o Late Sh. Rattan Lal, FGM SK
42. MES No. 316411, Tarlok Singh s/o Daulat Singh, elect SK
43. MES No. 375815, Rakesh Kumar s/o Laxman Dass, Refg Mech SK
44. MES No. 375915, Monika w/o Sh. Thomas Philip, Mate FGM
45. MES No. 375941, Ravikant Bhushan s/o Ram Naresh Sah, Mate Refg,
Mech.
46. MES No. 376352, Parkash Kumar s/o Sh. Mani Kant Mishra, Mate Refg
Mech.
47. MES No. 375022, Harvinder Pal Singh s/o Late Sh. Santokh Singh,
Refg Mech HS-II
48. MES No. 195957, Ram Lubhaya s/o Dhanna Ram, Vech Mech HS-II
49. MES No. 374879, Satwant Singh s/o Sh. Jagtar Singh, FGM HS-II
50. A No. 1495000M, Parminder Singh s/o Raj Kumar, Mate Vech Mech
51. MES No. 370662, Raj Kapoor s/o Baldev, Painter SK
52. MES No. 374675, Desh Raj s/o Shibu Ram, Pipe Fitter, SK
53. MES No. 372057, Pawan Kant s/o Hazara Ram, Elect HS-II
54. MES No. 374671, Shammi Kapoor s/o Sh. Pakhar Ram, Mate Painter,
3- O.A. No. 1266/2022
55. MES No. 375241, Sham Lal s/o Sh. Mohan Lal, Carp, Skilled.
56. MES No. 375775, Yash Paul s/o Prem Pal, Pipe Fitter SK
57. MES No. 375713, Nand Kisjr s/o Ram Narayan, Pipe Fitter, HS-II
58. MES No. 375712, Rajesh Kumar Yadav s/o Sundar, Pipe Fitter HS-II
59. A No. 1585240L, Panjab Singh s/o Atma Singh, Pipe Fitter, Mate
60. MES No. 370927, Kuldip Chand s/o Rameshwar Dutt, Pipe Ftr, MCM
61. MES No. 372936, Davinder Kumar s/o Ram Prakash, Pipe Fitter,
62. MES No. 372939, Dalip Masih s/o Jagiri Lal, Painter.
63. MES No. 372430, Sudesh Pal s/o Ram Saroop, Pipe Fitter
64. MES No. 374933, Neeraj Kumar s/o Khushi Ram, Carp
65. MES No. 374554, Laxmi Devi w/o Late Sh. Ashok Kumar, Mate
66. MES No. 375721, Parvinder Kaur s/o Late Sh. Gurmeet Singh, Painter
67. MES No. 1477072, Kulwant Singh s/o Sh. Mohan Singh, Pipe Fitter
68. MES No. 78000, Joginder Singh s/o Hamir Chand, FGM
69. MES No. 375940, Karamjit Singh s/o Sarabjit Singh, Pipe Fitter.
70. MES No. 1588075, Gurdhian Singh s/o Surjit Singh, Mate, Mason
71. MES No. 1536649F, Rajinder Kumar s/o Ramesh Kumar, Mate Mason.
72. A No. 14860095, Suresh Kumar s/o Hari Ram, Carp.
73. MES No. 374090, Harvinder Singh s/o Sh. Dilbagh Singh, Carp HS-I
74. MES No. 370370, Balwinder pal s/o Pyara Lal, Black Smith HS-I
75. MES No. 375236, Nirmala Rani s/o Late Sh. Lal Singh Mate, Semi
Skilled.
76. MES No. 315766, Charanjit Singh s/o Gurdial Singh, Mate Semi Skilled.
77. MES No. 315782, Vinod Kumar s/o Baijnath ram, Pipe Fitter, SK
78. MES No. 374670, Vinay Kumar s/o Prem Sagar, FGM SK
79. MES No. 375943, Love Kumar s/o Ram krishan, Mate Semi Skilled.
80. MES No. 702205, Satpal Singh s/o Jasbir Singh, Carp.
81. MES No. 373434, Radhey Shyam s/o Kapoor Chand, FGM HS-II
82. MES No. 375669, Ashwani s/o Ashok Kumar, FGM, HS-II
83. MES No. 373432, Raju s/o Sh. Jhonson, Mate Painter,
84. WC No. 6142, Ishwar Dass s/o Dhani Ram, Mate FGM
85. MES No. 376353, Vinay Kumar s/o Puran Chand, FGM SK
4- O.A. No. 1266/2022
86. WC No. 5891, Dharm inder Singh s/o ChananSingh, FGM HS-II
87. A No. 14589256N, Rakesh Kumar s/o Om Prakash, Vech Mech, SK
88. A No. 15792120P, D.K. Panday s/o Dwarika Dhish, Pipe Fitter, SK
89. MES No. 374978, Rajesh Kumar s/o Sh. Kundan Lal, Elect, SK,
90. MES No. 340015, Prabhat Kumar s/o Sh. Naval Singh, Vech Mech.
90-A A. No. 14262541K Vijay Kumar s/o Kans Raj, Refg Mech.
91. A. No. 15335681K Davinder Kumar s/o Som Raj, Carp, SK
92. A No. 14266981, P.K. Bag s/o Sh. Mohan Chandra Bag, Mate
93. MES No. 376354, P.K. Naik s/o Late Sh. Chandra Naik, Pipe Fitter, SK
94. MES No. 375485, Raji w/o Late Sh. Tarlok Chand, FGM HS-II
95. MES No. 340015, Ajay Kumar s/o Sh. Surinder Singh, Mate Elect.
96. A No. 15563781H, Paramjit singh s/o Surinder Singh, Vech Mech,
97. A No. 1494202F, Mohinder Singh s/o Sh. Lachhkar Singh, Mate Pipe
Fitter.
98. A. No. 1485765A, Satvir Singh s/o Late Sh. Partap Singh, Mate Elect
99. MES No. 375253, Satish Kumar s/o Sh. Nirmal Dass, FGM, HS-II
100. A No. 2478487L, Gurwinder Singh s/o Harbans Singh, Elect SK
101. MES No. 701377, Raman Kumar s/o Gopal Krishan, Mate FGM
102. MES No. 373433, Daniel s/o Babu Lal, Elect HS-II
103. Usha rani w/o Late Sh. Puran Singh (MES No. 373710, HS-II) R/o
House No. 103/8, Bhargo Nagar, Jalandhar, Punjab.
104. MES No. 506996, Rakshender Pal Singh, Elect MCM, R/o House No.
131 Golden colony Phase-II Deep Nagar, Birring Jalandhar.
105. MES No. 370360, Jagdish, Elect SK, R/o House No. 33/2, Mohalla No.
8, Jalandhar Cantt.
106. MES No. 373627, Kulwinder Kaur w/o Late Sh. Rajinder Singh, elect
HS-I, R/o Qtr No. 142/10-2 Jalandhar Cantt, Phase-II, Punjab.
107. MES No. 370493, Parshotam, Elect SK, r/o House No. 38 Mohalla No.
10 Jalandhar Cantt, Punjab.
108. A No. 1548842, Sukhbir Singh s/o Surat Singh r/o Near Factory
Sansarpur, Jalandhar.
109. MES No. 374479, Kewal Chand s/o Sh. Dhanna Ram, r/o House No.
42/3, MES Qtr, Nalwa Road, Jalandhar Cantt.
110. MES No. 370530, Jatinder Kumar s/o Fakir Singh, House No. 35/5,
MES Qtr Nalwa Road, Jalandhar Cantt.
5- O.A. No. 1266/2022
111. Nisha Rani w/o Late Sh. Surinder Pal (MES No. 508039) Oldani
Nawashhar, Punjab.
112. MES No. 313697, Mohan Lal s/o Sh. Sadhu Ram, r/o House No. 77,
Basant Avenue Deep Nagar, Jalandhar.
113. MES No. 370351, Raja Ram, elect SK, S/o Sh. Babu Ram, r/o House
No. 13 MES Qtr, Nalwa Road, Jalandhar Cantt.
114. MES No. 372853, Varinder Kumar elect SK, S/o Kartar Chand, r/o
House No. 227/28A, Labour Colony Urban Estate Phase-I, Ghera
Jalandhar.
115. MES No. 368191, Parveen Kumar elect Skilled s/o Sh. Garib Dass, r/o
Biring Near Jang Ghar Jalandhar.
116. Lata w/o Late Sh. Jagdish Kumar, (MES No. 369757) R/o House No.
232, BI Bazar Jalandhar Cantt.
117. MES No. 314115, Ramesh Kumar s/o Sadhu Ram, r/o House No. 29/1,
MH No. 30 Jalandhar Cantt.
118. MES No. 369791, Malkit Singh s/o Sh. Mast Ram s/o Village Plahar,
Amroh, Hoshiarpur, Punjab.
119. MES No. 368333, Om Parkash s/o Sh. Hira Lal r/o House No.5, Vlock-
B, Birring Golden Colony, Jalandhar.
120. Meera w/o Late Sh. Shashi Kant elect Skilled (MES No. 371774) r/o
House No. 196/1, Panchsheel Avenue Deep Nagar, Jalandhar.
121. MES No. 370163, Paras Nath s/o Ram Lakhan r/o House No. 17/1, MES
Qtr, Nalwa Road, Jalandhar Cantt.
122. MES No. 370168, Anil Kumar s/o Sh. Ganpat, Elect Skilled, r/o House
No. 185, Lamber Colony Deep Nagar Jalanhdar.
123. MES No. 368650, Swami Nath Yadav s/o Sh. Lakhan Yadav, r/o House
MES Qtr, Nalwa Road, Jalandhar Cantt.
124. MES No. 367744, Sugreev Singh s/o Jhangan Singh, MCM, FGM,
Ghaneta, Tehsil Palampur, Drang Khas, (489) Kangra, H.P.
125. MES No. 368192, Prem Kumar s/o Itwari Lal, Elect, HS-II, House No.
17/8, MES Qtr, Nalwa Road, Jalandhar Cantt.
126. A. No. 13892507, Jagdev Ram s/o Late Sh. Jager Ram, Vech Mech HS-
II, r/o Village Chandpur, Jalandhar, Punjab.
127. MES No. 369559, Mohinder Pal s/o Tilak Raj, Pipe fitter, r/o house No.
29, Street No. 4, Doordarshan Colony, Khurla Kingra, Jalandhar.
128. MES No. 375502, Ram Lal, Mate Pipe Fitter, r/o House No. 461, Dina
Noor Mehl Road, Dina Jalandhar.
129. MES No. 374962, Mohinder Paul, Mate Semi Skilled r/o Village Khera,
P.O. Jamsher Khar, Jalandhar.
6- O.A. No. 1266/2022
130. MES No. 375166, Darshan Devi, Mate Semi Skilled, r/o House Noi
Bhargo Nanagal, Jalandhar Cantt.
131. MES No. 370661, Bal Kishan, Mate Painter, r/o c/o Devi Dass, House
No. 52, Johal Coplony Bholina Jalandhar.
132. MES No. 368503, Sh. Sushil Kumar, Mate SK, r/o House No. 117,
Church Road, Ferozepur, Punjab.
133. MES No. 374876, Rakesh Kumar Mate, Painter, r/o House No. 39/7,
MES Qtr Nalwa Road, Jalandhar Cantt.
134. MES No. 370663, Chaman Lal, Carp, s/o Sh. Gulzari Ram, r/o House
No. 196, Street No. 03, Dhanowali Phillaur, Jalandhar, Punjab.
135. MES No. 370660, Raj Kumar s/o Sh. Gian Chand r/o House No. 202,
New Defence Colony Distt. Jalandhar.
136. MES No. 370664, Chhinda, Mason s/o Sh. Lachhu Ram, r/o VPO Talhi,
Tehsil Nakodar, District Jalandhar.
137. MES No. 373511, Babu Lal, Mason s/o Late Sh. Charab Das, r/o House
No. 117/5, Takia Badan Shah, Distt. Jalandhar.
138. MES No. 373436, Prem Dass s/o Ram Asra, Elect SK r/o House No. C-
117, VPO, Sofi Pind, Jalandhar.
139. MES No. 370013, Amarjit s/o Rakha Ram, H/Man, r/o Shiv Enclave
House No. 280/1, Deep Nagar, Jalandhar Cantt.
140. MES WC No. 6141, Ajit Singh, Mate Painter r/o Hosue No. 1477/4
Ganga Road, Jalandhar Cantt.
141. MES No. 315934, Vinod Kumar s/o Om Paraksh, aged 48 years,
working as FGM, Skilled.
142. MES No. 372761, Nirmal Singh s/o Sh. Bahadur Singh, Refg, Mechanic
HS-I
143. MES No. 373086, Narinder Kumar s/o Dev Raj, Refg, Mechanic HS-I
144. MES No. 375475, Gurbirinder Singh s/o Ajit singh, Refg, Mechanic
Skilled.
145. MES No. 375515, Khushwant Rai s/o Gurnam Singh, Refg, Mechanic,
SK.
146. MES No. 370696, Rakesh Kumar s/o Sh. Jagbir Singh, Elect, HS-II
147. MES No. 373807, Ishwar Lal s/o Kewal Krishan, Elect skilled
148. MES No. 375215, Darshan Lal s.o. Beli Ram, Elect, Skilled.
149. MES No. 375501, Karam Singh s/o Ram Singh, Elect SK
150. MES No. 373003, Kuldeep Singh s/o Chanan Singh, Fitter Pipe- HS-II
151. MES No. 508327, Atma Singh s/o Amar Singh, FGM HS-I
152. MES No. 448798, Satish Kumar s/o Sh. Kewal Krishan, FGM, HS-I
7- O.A. No. 1266/2022
153. MES No. 448813, Vinod Kumar s/o Sh. Ram Lubhaya, FGM HS-I
154. MES No. 448797, Rajiv Kumar s/o Ram Lubhaya, FGM HS-I
155. MES No. 374478, Harmesh Lal s/o Sh. Dhanna Ram, FGM HS-I
156. MES No. 375313, Davinder Pal s/o Sh. Jai Kishan, FGM, SK
157. A. No. 1493527, Malkiat Singh s/o Surjit Singh, FGM, Mate.
158. MES No. 377402, Chander mani s/o Pardeep Kumar Pathak, Vech.
Mech Mate.
159. A No. 1573602, Raghbir Singh s/o Sh. Charan Singh, Vech Mech Sk.
160. MES No. 1494587, Jasvir Singh s/o Harvinder Singh, Vech Mech,
Skilled.
The applicant no. 142 to 161 are working in the office of the Garrison
Engineer (East), Jalandhar Cantt-144001.
161. MES No. 370492, Chaman Kumar s/o Sh. Rashal Singh, elect, MCM r/o
Village Behchuhar p.O. Kamahi Devi, Tehsil Mukerian, District,
Hoshiarpur.
162. MES No. 373085, Gurmail Lal, FGM, MCM, VPO, r/o Mandali, Kalan,
Tehsil Bangra, District S.B.S. Nagar, Hoshiarpur, Punjab.
163. MES No. 371672 Mohinder Pal s/o Raj mal, Lift Operator, village
Ghorewali, P.O. Ladhra Tehsil Bhogpur, Distt Jalandhar, Punjab.
164. MES No. 371188, Sawaranjit Kaur w/o Late Balwainder Singh, Elect
MCM R/o Village Raj Gomal P.O. Rurka Kalan, Tehsil Phillour, Distt,
Jalandhar, Punjab.
(All the applicants are Group-C employees)
....Applicants
(By Advocate: Mr. K.B. Sharma)
Versus
1. Union of India through Secretary to Govt. of India, Ministry of
Defence, New Delhi -110011.
2. Engineer in Chief, Military engineer Services, Engineer-in-Chief‟s
Branch, Integrated Hers. Of MoD (Army), Kashmir House, DHQ, PO,
New Delhi -110011.
3. The Chief Engineer, MES, Western Command, Chandimandir-134107.
4. The Commander works Engineer, MES, Jalandhar-144001.
5. Garrison Engineer (East) Military Engineering Services, Jalandhar-
144001.
6. Garrison Engineer (West) Military Engineering Services, Jalandhar -
144001.
8- O.A. No. 1266/2022
7. Principal Controller of Defence Accounts, HQ, Western Command,
Sector 9, Chandigarh-160009.
8. Garrison Engineer (Engineering Park) Military Engineering Services,
Jalandhar-144001.
... .Respondents
(By Advocate: Mr. Sanjay Goyal, Sr. CGSC)
O R D E R (oral)
Per: SURESH KUMAR BATRA MEMBER (J):-
1. The applicants have filed present Original Application under Section 19 of the Administrative Tribunals Act, 1985 seeking the following relief:-
"(i) That a direction be issued to the respondents grant Dress Allowance to the applicants w.e.f. 1.7.2017 onwards and in future as well, etc. by extending them benefit of decision rendered by this Hon‟ble Tribunal in the case of Gurmeet Singh and Ors Vs. UOI and Others, O.A. No. 1228/2019, allowed on 05.06.2020 (Annexure A-6) and upheld by the Hon‟ble Punjab and Haryana High Court vide order dated 4.10.2021, in the interest of justice.
(ii) That it be declared that the applicants are entitled to benefit of Dress Allowance w.e.f. 1.7.2017 and in future as well in terms of the O.M. dated 2.8.2017 and 31.8.2017 issued by Govt. of India along with all consequential benefits like arrears etc.
(iii) That the action of the respondents denying Dress Allowance to the applicants be declared illegal and arbitrary."
2. The pleaded case of the applicants is that they are Industrial employees, like Master Craftsman (MCM), FGM, HS-I, HS-II, Elect (SK), Mate Carp, Mate Elect, Refg. Mech. (industrial staff) and are Group-C employees under the control of Respondents No. 5 and 6. Prior to implementation of recommendations of 7th CPC, the Industrial 9- O.A. No. 1266/2022 employees like applicants were provided Dangri (Dress) yearly and washing Allowance per month. But on the recommendations of 7th CPC, the respondents stopped providing same to the employees like applicants. The applicants continued to get washing allowance till March, 2017 and providing Dangri was stopped to them w.e.f. 01.01.2016. The Government of India, Ministry of Finance issued Office Memorandum dated 02.08.2017 (Annexure A-1), whereby a decision was taken and existing orders relating to Uniform Related Allowance, Clothing Allowance, Robe Allowance, Robe Maintenance allowance, Shoe Allowance, Uniform Allowance and Washing Allowance were subsumed in a single Dress Allowance amounting to Rs.5000/- per annum. Subsequently, the Government of India, DoP&T issued Office Memorandum dated 31.08.2017 (Annexure A-2) providing that in supersession of the existing orders relating to admissibility of Uniform Allowance/Washing Allowance/stitching charges/Shoe allowance etc. to common categories of Group-C and erstwhile Group-D employees of various Ministries/Department including attached/subordinate offices, who are supplied uniform and required to wear them regularly, they shall be paid Dress Allowance @ Rs.5000/- per year.
3. Pursuant to Office Memorandums dated 02.08.2017 and 31.08.2017, Respondent No. 7 issued circular dated 02.08.2018 (Annexure A-4) whereby all the sub Offices were directed to grant Dress Allowance to the employees(Industrial/Non-Industrial), who are wearing Uniform and/or were drawing washing allowance. Pursuant thereto, some Units of the respondent department like Adampur, Kapurthala, Ferozepur, Patiala, Chandigarh and Chandimandir etc. sanctioned Dress Allowance to the Industrial employees for the year 2017-18, 2018-19 @ 10- O.A. No. 1266/2022 Rs.5,000/- each year. Later on, the respondent no. 7 issued letter dated 15.11.2019 (Annexure A-5) whereby it was decided to recover the Dress Allowance from the industrial employees paid for the year 2017- 18, 2018-19, 2019-20 by stating that at present the entitlement of dress allowance to the industrial employees yet to be decided.
4. Learned counsel for the applicants argued that the identical issue regarding entitlement of Industrial employees to Dress Allowance @ Rs.5000/- per annum has been considered and decided by this Tribunal in a bunch of matters with leading case titled Gurmit Singh Vs. Union of India & Others (O.A. No. 1228/2019 decided on 05.06.2020) wherein the applicants (therein), who are similarly situated like the applicants herein, have been held entitled to Dress Allowance and a direction has been issued to respondents to refund the recovered amount towards dress allowance. The decision of this Tribunal in the case of Gurmit Singh (supra) has been upheld by the Hon‟ble High Court of Punjab and Haryana vide order dated 04.10.2021 in CWP No. 19317 of 2021 titled Union of India & ors Vs. Vinod Kumar and Others. It has been submitted that the orders dated 05.06.2020 of this Tribunal have been implemented qua the applicants therein. It has been prayed that the applicants being the similarly situated like the applicants in the case of Gurmit Singh (supra) be granted the benefit of decision dated 05.06.2020 in the case of Gurmit Singh( Supra), as affirmed by the Hon‟ble High Court of Punjab and Haryana. The respondents have denied the claim of the applicants for grant of dress allowance on the ground that the judgment rendered in Gurmit Singh's case (supra) is applicable to the applicants of that case not upon the applicants which, the applicants contended, is illegal 11- O.A. No. 1266/2022
5. Learned counsel for the respondents could not dispute the fact that the action of the respondents in withdrawing the benefit of dress allowance has been held to be unsustainable by this Tribunal in the case of Gurmit Singh (Supra) and the applicants therein have been granted the relevant benefit.
6. I have gone through the pleadings and perused the decision of this Tribunal in the case of Gurmit Singh (supra) and judgment dated 04.10.2021 of the Hon‟ble High Court of Punjab and Haryana in the C.W.P. No. 19317/2021 challenging the decision of this Tribunal. The applicants herein are similarly situated like the applicants in the case of Gurmit Singh (supra), who have already been granted the benefit of dress allowance, therefore, the respondents cannot deny the similar benefit to the applicants herein, in view of the law laid down by the Hon‟ble High Court of Punjab and Haryana in the case of Satbir Singh Vs. State of Haryana, 2002 (2) SCT 354.
7. In view of the above facts and law position on the issue, the present Original Application is disposed of with a direction to respondents to decide the claim of applicants for grant of Dress Allowance in the light of the decision of this Tribunal in the case of Gurmit Singh (supra), within a period of three months from the date of receipt of a certified copy of this order. No costs.
(SURESH KUMAR BATRA) MEMBER (J) „mw‟