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PETITIONER: STATE OF HARYANA & ORS.

       Vs.

RESPONDENT: RAI CHAND JAIN & ORS. ETC. ETC.

DATE OF JUDGMENT:       21/04/1997

BENCH: K. RAMASWAMY, D.P. WADHWA

ACT:

HEADNOTE:

JUDGMENT:                          O R D E R      Substitution allowed.      Leave granted. We have heard counsel on both sides.      These appeals  by special leave arise from the judgment and order  dated 2.11.1995  of the  High Court  of Punjab  & Haryana made  in  CMP  No,  13493/91  &  batch.  It  is  not necessary of  narrate all the factual details. Suffice it to state that  the respondents  claim payment  of salary in the selection grade  pay-scales which the High Court has granted them. while  we have  taken the  matter for  final disposal, Shri Pankaj  Kalra, learned  counsel for the respondent, has brought to  our notice the order issued by the Government on August 20, 1996 signed by the Joint Secretary (Finance), for Financial Commissioner  & Secretary  to Government, Haryana, Finance Department which reads as under:      "I  am   directed  to  invite  your      attention  to   the  subject  noted      above and  to  say  that  prior  to      1.4.79 the Selection Grade to Grout      C  &   D  Category   employees  was      admissible  on  the  basis  of  the      number  of  permanent  posts  in  a      particular cadre and later on, till      1.1.86,  the  date  on  which  this      practice was  altogether abolished,      for determining  the number  of the      Selection    Grade    posts,    the      temporary posts  in  existence  for      the  Selection   Grade  posts,  the      temporary posts  in  existence  for      the  preceding   three  years  were      taken into account.           CWP No. 2143 of 1994 and 11255      of 1995  were  filed  in  the  High      Court  by   some  teachers  of  the      Education  Department   and   while      disposing these  off, Hon’ble  High      Court   directed   to   grant   the      selection grade  on  the  basis  of      total strength, including permanent

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    and  temporary   posts,  with   all      consequential  benefits,   to   the      petitioners. Thus  the employees of      the   Education   Department   have      already been  granted this  benefit      as per the judgment.           The Government has, therefore,      decided that  the  selection  grade      whereever available prior to 1.1.86      may be  worked out  on the basis of      total strength  including permanent      and   temporary   posts   and   all      consequential  benefits   including      arrears of  38 months preceding the      date of  such decision,  be allowed      to eligible employees."      In view  the above  direction, we  are of the view that since the  Government itself  has accepted  to  compute  the selection grade  wherever available  prior to  1.1.86 and to work it  out on the basis of the total strength of the cadre including permanent  and temporary  posts with consequential benefits including  arrears for 38 months preceding the date of the  decision, i.e., dated 20.8.1996, these cases need no interference.      Mr. Pankaj  Kalra,  learned  counsel  has  stated  that fixation of  38 months  for payment of arrears is arbitrary. We find no force in the contention. It is for the Government to decide as a part of the executive policy as to from which date the  arrears would  be granted  to the  employees.  The matter being  executive policy in character, we do not think that the  decision taken  by  them  is  arbitrary  violating Article 14 of the Constitution.      In view  of the  above order,  we think  that there  is nothing for this Court to interfere with the judgment of the High Court. The appeals are accordingly dismissed. No costs. CA No. ___________ @ S.L.P. (C) No. 11705/95      Though  the  respondents  have  been  served,  none  is appearing  either   in  person   or  through   counsel.  The controversy raised  in this  case is covered by the judgment of this Court in State of Haryana & Anr. v. Ravi Bala & Ors. [(1997) SCC 267]. In paragraph 4, this Court , following the decision is  Wazir Singh v. State of Haryana [(1995) Supp. 3 SCC 697]  has held  that  such  of  the  teachers  who  have obtained the  B.T.   or B.Ed.  degree would  be entitled  to higher grade  with effect from the respective dates of their acquiring  that   qualification.  Therefore,  they  are  not entitled to  higher scales  of pay  prior  to  the  date  of acquiring qualifications.      The appeal is accordingly allowed. No costs.