Baltej Singh And ORS v. Punjab State Cooperative Agricultural Development Bank Ltd. And ORS
IN THE HIGH COURT OF PUNJAB AND HARYANA
AT CHANDIGARH Date of decision : 29.05.2023 CWP-12052-2021 Baltej Singh and others ....Petitioners
Versus
Punjab State Cooperative Agricultural Development Bank Ltd. and ors
...Respondents
Harbans Singh ....Petitioner
Versus
Punjab State Cooperative Agricultural Development Bank Ltd. and ors
...Respondents
Sukhdev Singh ....Petitioner
Versus
Punjab State Cooperative Agricultural Development Bank Ltd. and ors
...Respondents
Harpreet Singh ....Petitioner
Versus
Punjab State Cooperative Agricultural Development Bank Ltd. and ors
...Respondents
Rajinder Singh ....Petitioner
Versus
Punjab State Cooperative Agricultural Development Bank Ltd. and ors
...Respondents
CWP-25482-2021 Jaspal Singh and another ....Petitioners
Versus
Punjab State Cooperative Agricultural Development Bank Ltd. and ors
...Respondents
CWP-12052-2021 and -2connected writ petitions 2023:PHHC:078218
Mohan Lal ....Petitioner
Versus
Punjab State Cooperative Agricultural Development Bank Ltd. and ors
...Respondents
Hardeep Singh ....Petitioner
Versus
Punjab State Cooperative Agricultural Development Bank Ltd. and ors
...Respondents
CORAM:
HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE PANKAJ JAIN Present :
Mr. R.S. Kalra, Advocate for the petitioners.
Mr. Rishabh Gupta, Advocate for respondents No.1 and 2.
Mr. Inderpreet S. Kang, Asstt. Advocate General, Punjab for respondent No.3.
PANKAJ JAIN, J. (ORAL) Petitioners herein pray for issuance of a writ in the nature of certiorari seeking quashing of the impugned action of the respondents whereby salary of the petitioners have been reduced by revising the pay grade from Rs.3200/- to Rs.2400/-. Further prayer is for restraining the respondents from affecting recovery of excess amount/salary paid to them since 2011.
2.
Mr. Gupta submits that the categoric stand of the respondentBoard is that no recovery shall be effected from the petitioners. However, he submits that respondents are within their right to correct the error that has crept in while fixing the salaries of the petitioners which is adding to
CWP-12052-2021 and -3connected writ petitions 2023:PHHC:078218 the financial burden of the bank which is already in dire state. 3.
Mr. Kalra does not dispute that the employer has right to correct the error. However he submits that the same cannot be in violation of the principle of natural justice.
4.
Mr. Gupta submits that a Committee has already been constituted. However owing to the fact that the interim protection to the petitioners was granted by this Court the same could not proceed further. 5.
In view of the stand taken by both the parties, present writ petitions are disposed off with the directions to the respondents to take a fresh call after hearing all the petitioners in accordance with law within a period of four weeks from the date of receipt of certified copy of this order. 6.
Needless to say, status quo w.r.t. the pay being paid to the petitioners shall continue till then.
7.
Ordered accordingly.
8.
A copy of this order be kept on the files of other connected cases.
May 29, 2023 (PANKAJ JAIN) Dpr JUDGE Whether speaking/reasoned :
Yes/No Whether reportable :
Yes/No