K Manikandan vs DEFENCE

1 OA 310/816/2026
CENTRAL ADMINISTRATIVE TRIBUNAL
CHENNAI BENCH
OA 310/00816/2026
th
Dated Wednesday the 14 day of October Two Thousand Twenty Six
CORAM: HON'BLE MS. VEENA KOTHAVALE, Member (J)
1. K. Manikandan
2. G. Jebastin Jayaraj
3. P. Vikas
4. K. Suresh Kumar
5. A. Nandha Kumar
6. S. Palani
7. Somarajan
8. N. Sankarakumar
9. M. Srinivasan
10. N. Mathivannan
11. S. Puspha
12. C. Murugan
13. N.G. Loganathan
14. G. Vijayakumar
15. A. Rahamathulla
16. K. Ezhilarasan
1 7. A. Anandan
18. K. Rajendran
19. A. Mathew
20. R.P. Sivathanu
21. G. Mahendran
22. B. Santhi
23. S. Chitra
24. Abdul Razzak
25. P. Srinivasan
26. K. Subramani
27. M. Kannan
28. R. Ravichandran
29. V. Nagaraj (Retd)
30.L. Kumaraguru (Retd)
31.M. Domonic Vinodhan (Retd)
32.D. Kandan
33. J. Raja Joseline
34. M. Raja
35. C. Jayakanthan
36. V. Susainathan
37. M. Rajan
38. A. Manimaran
39. E. Kumari
40. A. Arokiaraj
41.S. Shankar
42.M. Malika Margrate

2 OA 310/816/2026
43.Shri G. Ayyalusamy
44. Anthoniyammal (Upholster)
45. B. Jayanthi
46. S. Perumal
47. P. Ethiraj
48. S. Sivalingam
49. G. Dinakaran
50. A. Jayachandran (Retd)
51. R. Sundara Varadhan
52. V.S. Swaminathan (Retd)
53. Manoharan (Retd)
54. V. Selvam (Retd)
55. D. Irudaya Meri (Retd)
56. U. Raghunathan (Retd)
57. S. Sebastian (Retd)
58. S.V. Ramanujan
59. G. Ravi (Retd)
60. R. Ramesh
61 . U. Loganayaki
62. R. Varatharajan
63. R. Priya
64. V. Ravi
65. K. Ravi
66. M. Saralegha
67. Viswanathan T.A.
68. D. Vadivammal
69. M. Rajarathinam
70. M. Koushik
71. V. Narayanan … Applicants
By Advocate Mr. M. Syed Anwar for M/s. J. Chandran Sundar
Sashikumar
Vs
1. Union of India
Represented by the Secretary,
Govt. of India, Ministry of Defence,
South Block, New Delhi - 110011.
2. Engineer-in-chief,
Military Engineering Services,
Directorate General (Personnel)/EIC (Legal)
Kashmir House, Rajaji Marg.
New Delhi - 110 010.
3. The Commander Works Engineer ,
O/o. the CWE - Chennai
Military Engineering Services,

Pallavan Salai, Chennai - 600 002. … Respondents
By Advocate Mr. R. K. Gandhi

3 OA 310/816/2026
ORAL ORDER
(Pronounced by Hon'ble Ms. Veena Kothavale, Member(J))
Heard both counsels.
2. In the present OA, the applicant has sought the following
relief:
rd
“ To set aside the order of the 3 respondent in 168/CC/ OA
1363 of 2025/GJJ/l 1 /ELC dated 27.01.2026 and direct the
Respondents to pay Dress Allowance to the Applicants at Rs.
5,000/- per annum w.e.f. 01.07.2017 along with arrears with
interest at 12% per annum as per DoPT OM dated 02.08.2017
and OM dated 31.08.2017 issued by the Ministry of Finance,
Department of Expenditure, at par with MES employees working
under Ministry of Defence who have been granted dress
allowance as per order in O.A. Nos. 1413 & 1872 of 2024 dated
10.07.2025 passed by this Hon'ble Tribunal and pass such
further or other orders as this Hon'ble Tribunal may deem fit
and proper in the facts and circumstances of this case and thus
render justice. ”
3. When the matter is taken up, it is submitted by the learned
counsel for the applicants that in similar matters viz., OA 1413 of
2024, OA 1872 of 2024 and OA 481 of 2026, this Tribunal has
granted releif and directed the respondents to grant dress
allowance to the applicants therein.
4. Vide order dated 10/07/2025 passed in OA 1413 of 2024
and OA 1872 of 2024, concurrence has been given by me as
Judicial Member and direction was given to the respondents to
grant dress allowance to the applicants therein and to all other
similarly placed industrial employees of the Military Engineering
Services, making the following observations: -

4 OA 310/816/2026
"14. To conclude, we observe that prior to 2017, the applicants
were provided Dress (Dungaree) by respondents which has been
stopped w.e.f. 2017 after issue of order dt. 02.08.2017 by DoPT
th
regarding Dress Allowance pursuant to 7 Central Pay
Commission recommendations. Almost 8 years have since passed
and the Ministry of Defence has not taken a policy decision
regarding applicability of Dress Allowance for different categories
of employees under MES. The applicant employees are not
wearing their designated Dress (Dungaree) as they are not paid
any Dress Allowance. Contrarily, the respondents are
implementing the orders of various benches of this Tribunal in a
piecemeal basis thereby forcing the employees to approach
different benches of CAT which is not in accordance with the
orders of the Hon’ble Supreme Court in Civil Appeal No.
1943/2022 cited supra. The implementation of various CAT
orders in piecemeal basis violates the principle of fairness,
legitimate expectations and equal opportunities under Article 14 of
the Constitution of India. Accordingly, the respondents are
directed to grant Dress Allowance to the applicants as well as
similarly placed industrial employees of the Military Engineering
Services like Electricians, Master Craftsman, FGM, Skilled, Mate,
etc. (Industrial Staff) and Group-C employees under the control of
the respondents with immediate effect.
15. The above order of the Tribunal shall be implemented by the
respondents within a period of one month from the date of receipt
of a copy of this order. Accordingly, the OAs are allowed. No order
as to costs."
5. It is stated by the learned counsel for the applicants that the
said order has already been implemented by the respondents.
The applicants are similarly placed and are entitled to the Dress
Allowance as directed by this Tribunal in the aforestated order.

5 OA 310/816/2026
6. Adhering to the view earlier taken by this Tribunal, I hold
that applicants are entitled for grant of dress allowance as
directed by this Tribunal. The impugned order dated 27.01.2026
which has been issued in contravention of the order this Tribunal
is hereby quashed and set aside. The respondent shall comply
with the order of this Tribunal and grant dress allowance to the
applicants within a period of one month from the date of receipt
of a copy of this order.
7. The OA is allowed as above. No order as to costs.
(Veena Kothavale)
Member (J)
14.10.2026
Digitally signed
by LOKESH M
Date:
2026.11.02
15:15:15
+05'30'
LOKESH M
COURT MASTER
CAT CB