Coming to the relief of engineers of the Rural Development and Panchayat Raj Department, the Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court on Friday stayed a government order (G.O.) reducing their existing salaries. The court directed the State government to prepare their pay bills, based on the last drawn salary and pay them without any reduction.
The court was hearing a batch of petitions filed by engineers, including assistant engineers, assistant executive engineers and executive engineers of the Department, who challenged the G.O. They also sought a direction to the State to grant time-bound revision of pay scales, similar to a G.O. passed for the benefit of doctors.
Justice Krishnan Ramasamy granted an interim stay on the G.O. and observed that in view of the stay granted by the court, it was the duty of the State to prepare pay bills on the basis of the last drawn pay of the petitioners prior to the G.O. and pay salaries to the petitioners without any reduction.
The court posted the case for further hearing on January 11, 2021, observing that till then, the interim stay would be extended.
