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Non-Reportable IN THE SUPREME COURT OF INDIA

CIVIL APPELLATE JURISDICTION

CIVIL APPEAL NO. 8220 OF 2013 (Arising out of S.L.P (C) No. 31846 of 2011)

Dr. Nawal Kishore Verma and another …Appellants

Versus

The State of Bihar and others …Respondents

O R D E R

Leave granted.

2. The present appeal, by special leave, is directed against  

the judgment and order dated 10.8.2011 passed in LPA No.  

210 of 2009 by the High Court of Judicature at Patna whereby  

the Division Bench affirmed the orders dated 17.7.2008 and  

28.1.2009 passed in CWJC No. 4098 of 2001 and CWJC No.  

17736 of 2008 respectively.

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3. The  appellants,  who  are  Homeopathic  doctors,  being  

aggrieved by non-grant of correct scale of pay, knocked at the  

doors of the High Court in CWJC No.  8471 of 1994, which was  

disposed of, vide order dated 30.11.1995, directing as follows:  

-

“…..  this  writ  petition  is  disposed  of  by  directing  the  Joint  Secretary,  Urban  Development  Department,  Bihar,  Patna  (Respondent  No.  2)  to  take  a  final  decision  within a period of eight weeks from the date of  receipt/production of a copy of this judgment  about  the  extension  of  the  benefit  of  the  recommendations  of  the  3rd,  4th and  5th Pay  revision  Committee  to  the  petitioner  in  the  light  of  the  observations  made  in  this  judgment.   It  is  also  made  clear  that  while  taking final decision in the matter, respondent  No. 2 will also take into consideration the pay  scale  recommended  by  the  Pay  Anomaly  Committee for Homeopathic Doctors,  namely,  Rs.  2200-4000/-  with  effect  from 1st January,  1986.  It is, however, made clear that such pay  scale has been recommended for  the degree  holder.  Respondent No. 2 will examine whether  the petitioners are degree holders and whether  the benefit of such recommendation of the Pay  Anomaly  Committee  can  be  extended  to  them.”

4. After  the  said  order  was  passed,  the  Competent  

authority  of  the  Government  considered  the  claim  of  the  

appellants  and rejected the same by communication dated

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25.9.1997 observing that there was no anomaly in respect of  

the  scale  admissible  to  the  Homeopathic  doctors  and  the  

appellants not being degree holders could not be allowed the  

pay  scale  admissible  to  the  degree  holders  and  further  

directed  the  local  body  (Mahnar  Municipality)  where  the  

appellants were serving to take a decision in regard to the pay  

scale  admissible  to  them  in  the  light  of  the  observations  

contained  in  letter  dated  25.9.1997.   Thereafter,  the  

authorities of Mahnar municipality took a decision in the light  

of the recommendations of the Pay Revision Committee and  

fixed the pay scale of the appellants and sought the approval  

of the State Government as per their communications dated  

20.7.1999 and 8.2.2000.  The State Government vide letter  

dated  3.1.2001  reiterated  the  position  which  was  earlier  

communicated by letter dated 25.9.1997.

5. Being  grieved  by  the  said  order  the  appellants  

approached  the  High  Court  and  the  learned  single  Judge  

directed the Municipality to  allow the pay scale as per the  

recommendations  of  the  Pay  Revision  Committee  that  had  

been accepted by the State Government for the Homeopathic  

doctors.   Assailing  the  said  order,  the  appellants  preferred

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Letters Patent Appeal No. 707 of 2008 and the Division Bench  

vide  order  dated  26.9.2008  permitted  the  appellants  to  

withdraw the appeal  with liberty to apply for reviewing the  

order dated 17.7.2008.   

6. Thereafter  a  review  was  filed  forming  the  subject-

matter of CWJC No. 17736 of 2008.  It was contended in the  

review application that the petitioners there are the diploma  

holder  Homeopathic  doctors  and  they  were  entitled  to  the  

same  pay  scale  which  was  given  to  degree  holder  

Homeopathic  doctors  and  further  such  higher  scale  had  

already been allowed to one Dr. T. Ekka in compliance with the  

order dated 23.2.1993 passed in the writ petition preferred by  

said Dr. Ekka.  The said submission was opposed by the State  

stating that it was a mistake and there was no necessity to  

exercise  the  review  jurisdiction.   The  learned  single  Judge  

declined to entertain the review and, accordingly, the same  

was dismissed.

7. Thereafter, LPA No. 210 of 2009 was preferred and the  

Division Bench took note of the submissions canvassed at the  

Bar and opined thus: -

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“The learned Government  Pleader  submitted  that  the Diploma holders are not  entitled to  claim equal pay as that of Degree holders as  such Diploma holder cannot claim equal pay  as  that  of  Degree  holders  and  it  is  for  the  Municipality  to  extend the  benefit.   We had  also the occasion to go through the contents  of  Annexure-1 whereby the Government  has  extended the benefit of pay scale by equating  the  educational  qualification  of  Diploma  holders with that of the Degree holders.  Even  a  contention has been urged before us  that  the government has extended the benefit  of  equal pay scale to some person namely Dr. T.  Ekka and P. Srivastava.

In absence of any policy emanating from the  Government  to  equate  the  pay  scale  of  the  Diploma holder  with that  of  Degree holders,  we are of the opinion that the appellants have  no wish to claim equal pay with that of Degree  holders.”

Being of this view the LPA was dismissed.

8. We have heard Mr. Amit Pawan, learned counsel for the  

appellants,  and  Mr.  Gopal  Singh  and  Mr.  Chandan  Kumar,  

learned counsel for the respondents.

9. The learned counsel for the appellants has brought to  

our notice the resolution dated 3.2.1981.  It is in connection  

with grant of  pay scale and other  facilities  to  non-teaching  

staff  of  local  bodies,  equivalent  to  the  Government

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employees.  The relevant clauses are (6) and (7) which are  

reproduced below: -

“(6) Fixation of pay of the servants of local  bodies in the newly revised pay scale in place  of  the  earlier  pay  scale  will  be  done  as  according to the principles and procedures laid  down in Department of Finance Resolution No.  14636 dated 30.11.1972 (copy enclosed)

(7) Whatever additional financial burden as  a  consequence  of  the  above  decisions,  will  arise,  the  same  will  be  incurred  by  the  concerned local bodies, but having regard to  their economic condition, the Government has  taken an immediate decision that as before,  70% of  this  additional  expenditure  (30% as  grant and 40% as loan) will be borne by the  Government  and  the  remaining  30% will  be  borne  by  the  concerned  bodies  out  of  their  own funds.  This relief will be payable by the  Government  only to  the employees who are  working  on  the  posts  approved  by  the  Government.  No other financial relief will be  given by the Government under the head of  Establishment.”

10. The learned counsel has also drawn our attention to a  

Gazette Notification dated 21.11.1992 by the Government of  

Bihar.  It reads as follows: -

“BIHAR GAZETTE EXTRAORDINARY ISSUE

PASSED BY THE GOVERNMENT OF BIHAR 28 Agrahayan 1914 (Sa.)

Patna, Saturday, 01st December 1992

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Department of Health, Medical Education and  Family Welfare

NOTIFICATION

21st November 1992

No. 161 V.9.02192-D 716 M-H.,

In light of Ministry of Health,  Education and  Family Welfare, Government of India, letter Ref.  14016-1190-Homoeo  dated  03.01.1991  and  Central  Homoeopathic  Council,  New  Delhi,  letter  Ref.  14-12-24186  CCH  16074  dated  13.03.1990, the four year D.H.M.S. (Diploma in  Homeopathic Medicine and Surgery) certificate  (qualification),  in  homeopathic  medicine  stream  conferred  by  a  lawfully  established  university,  institution or board,  upto the year  1983, is granted equivalence to a degree.

By orders Government of Bihar

Surendra Prasad Sinha Deputy Secretary to the State

Published  by  Superintendent,  Government  Printing Material Store and Publication, Patna

Printed  by  Superintendent,  Secretariat  Press,  Bihar Patna

Bihar Gazette (Extraordinary), 650-Laego-774- 600 R.P. Singh”

11. From the aforesaid notification it is quite vivid that the  

Diploma in Homoeopathic Medicine and Surgery has been in  

equivalence to a degree up to the year 1983.  There is no  

quarrel over the fact that the appellants are fully covered by

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the said notification.  At this juncture, it is relevant to refer to  

the resolution dated 15.9.1997 which deals with amendment  

in the pay scale of Homoeopathic doctors of Department of  

Health in the light of direction given by the Patna High Court  

in CWJC No.  2950 of 1995 which was preferred by one Dr.  

Amareshwar Prasad.  After referring to the order passed by  

the  High  Court  in  the  case  of  Dr.  Amareshwar  Prasad,  the  

Department  of  Finance  of  the  State  of  Bihar  in  the  said  

resolution stated thus: -

“During the course of scrutiny a fact came to  light that the Department of Health Education  and Family Welfare vide its notification dated  21.11.1992  had  decided  that  the  four  year  DHMS  (Diploma  in  Homoeopathic  Medicine  and  Surgery)  diploma  in  homoeopathic  medicine  stream  conferred  by  a  lawfully  established university, institute or board upto  the year 1983 would be declared equivalent to  a  degree.   In  the  aforesaid  background  the  question  of  revision  in  the  pay  scale  of  Homeopathic Doctors was pending before the  Government.

In light of the direction of the Hon’ble High  Court  and  recommendation  of  fifth  Pay  Anomaly  Redressal  Committee,  and  after  discussion  with  Department  of  the  Health,  Medical  Education  and  Family  Welfare,  the  Government  has  decided  that  the  Degree  Holder  Homeopathic  Doctors/  homeopathic  doctors  having  four  year  DHMS (Diploma  in  Homeopathic Medicine and Surgery)  diploma  in homeopathic medicine stream conferred by

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a lawfully  established university,  institute  or  board  upto  the  year  1983  be  approved  the  payscale of Rs.2200-4000 in place of Rs.1500- 2750.

The  Revised  pay  scale  will  be  admissible  notionally  from  1.1.86  and  actually  from  1.3.89.   The  arrear  due  from  1.3.89  to  31.3.1993,  would  be  deposited  in  Provident  Fund  of  the  concerned  employee  and  enhanced pay in  the fixed pay scale  will  be  paid  in  cash  as  per  the  pay  fixation  order  dated 1 April 1995.”

12. The  learned  counsel  for  the  appellants  would  submit  

that the aforesaid resolution is significant as equivalence has  

been clearly admitted after referring to the notification dated  

21.11.1992.  Mr. Amit Pawan, learned counsel, has also drawn  

our attention to the communication dated 13.7.1999 by the  

Deputy Secretary in the Department of Urban Development,  

to  the  Administrator,  Municipal  Corporation  of  Muzaffarpur  

and  Special  Officer,  Mahnar  Municipality,  making  a  special  

reference to the present appellants.  The relevant part of the  

same is as follows: -

“… this is to state that fixation of pay scale of  Dr.  Ramakant  Sharma  and  Dr.  N.K.  Verma,  Medical Officers, is to be made in third, fourth  and  fifth  pay  revision,  in  compliance  of  the  orders  dated  30.11.1995  passed  by  Hon’ble  Patna High Court.  Dr. Ramakant Sharma and

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Dr.  N.K.  Verma,  are  the  Medical  officers  of  Municipal  Corporation  of  Muzaffarpur  and  Mahnar Municipal Council respectively, whose  appointments  have  been  made  by  the  concerned bodies.   Hence,  as  per  rules,  the  responsibility  of  carrying  out  amendment  in  pay scales and fixation of pay scale lies on the  concerned local bodies.”

13. After  so  stating,  a  direction  was  issued  to  the  

municipalities  to  take  appropriate  action  and  inform  the  

Government.  In compliance with the aforesaid order of the  

State Government, Mahnar Municipality on 20.7.1999 passed  

an  order  after  referring  to  the  notification  of  equivalence  

dated  21.11.1992  fixing  the  pay  scale  and  sent  it  to  the  

Government  for  approval.   Be  it  noted,  a  similar  

communication  was  sent  by  Muzaffarpur  Municipal  

Corporation  on  8.2.2000.   The  State  Government,  by  

communication dated 3.1.2001, reiterated its earlier decision  

dated 25.9.1997.

14. The  learned  counsel  for  the  State  though  made  an  

endeavour to show that there is no equivalence, yet on the  

face of the notifications and orders he could not pursue the  

said submission any further.  Thereafter, it was urged by him  

that it is the municipalities who are to amend the rules and  

pay the amount.  On a query being made as to how others

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have been paid on a proper decision being taken, we could  

not get any satisfactory answer.  It is also noticed that certain  

doctors of Ranchi Municipality were given the benefit by the  

erstwhile State of Bihar.

15. Keeping  in  view  the  factum  of  equivalence,  

communications  made  by  the  State  Government  to  the  

Municipalities  and  Municipal  Corporations,  the  benefit  

extended to other diploma holders and also regard being had  

to  the  fact  barring  the  two  appellants  no  other  diploma  

holders are there who are covered by the notification dated  

21.11.1992,  we  direct  the  respondents  to  extend  similar  

benefit that were extended to Dr. T. Ekka and Dr. P. Srivastava.  

If  in  their  case  there  has  been  any  apportionment  of  the  

financial burden between the State and the municipality, the  

same  shall  apply  mutatis  mutandis and  the  order  to  that  

effect shall  be passed within six weeks from today and the  

benefits shall be given within three months therefrom.

16. Resultantly, the appeal is allowed, the orders passed by  

the learned single Judge as well as by the Division Bench are  

set aside leaving the parties to bear their respective costs.

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……………………….J. [Anil R. Dave]

……………………….J. [Dipak Misra]

New Delhi; September 12, 2013.