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Date: 2026.02.06 12:03:56+05'30'
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sanction for drawal and disbursement of arrears in favour of the
applicant.
f) Despite repeated recommendations by the competent
departmental authorities and notwithstanding the fact that the
claim had arisen only upon rectification in 2019 and was
preferred well within the period prescribed under Rule 295 of
GFR-2017, the Finance Advisor / CAO, vide impugned
communication dated 05.09.2022, advised re-fixation of pay
retrospectively without payment of arrears, treating the claim
as time-barred, by placing reliance on general circular
instructions issued by the Finance Department.
g) The applicant asserts that such action is wholly arbitrary and
contrary to the express provisions of Rules 289, 295 and 296 of
GFR-2017, which clearly provide that where arrears become
due only upon rectification of an error, the limitation period
commences from the date of such rectification and not from the
original date of entitlement. It is specifically pleaded that the
applicant cannot be penalised for an admitted mistake
DN: C=IN, O=Central Administrative Tribunal Jammu Bench, OU=Court master, PostalCode=180001, L=jammu, S=
JAMMU AND KASHMIR, STREET="Wazarat Road, Opposite Chief Secretary Camp office Jammu Jandk", Phone=
HARSHIT YADAV
f43b1c5544466ac12d1b109be2e84ad03e43d7455ad4f908313774f070d1c28f, SERIALNUMBER=
317ab7a2f4cee67ef40cfd31d9f71e774ed64e83e889590de390c87f3d3efda8, [email protected], CN=
HARSHIT YADAV
Reason: I am the author of this document
Location:
Date: 2026.02.06 12:03:56+05'30'
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relevant provisions of GFR-2017. Rule 295(1) clearly provides that
arrears of a Government servant preferred within two years of
becoming due shall be settled by the Drawing and Disbursing Officer
or Accounts Officer after usual checks. The crucial expression is
"becoming due". In the present case, the arrears did not become due in
the year 2010; they became due only when the wrong fixation was
detected and corrected in the year 2019. Prior to such correction, the
applicant had no crystallised or enforceable claim for arrears because
the department itself had not acknowledged the error.
Date: 2026.02.06 12:03:56+05'30'
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11. The reliance placed by the respondents on Finance Department
circulars relating to time-barred claims is misplaced. Executive
instructions cannot override statutory rules. GFR-2017 itself provides
an in-built mechanism for settlement of delayed or retrospective
claims, particularly where the delay is attributable to administrative
lapses. The impugned communication advising retrospective
refixation without payment of arrears, therefore, runs contrary to the
scheme of GFR-2017 and defeats the very purpose of correcting a
wrong fixation.