Panjab University Contract Library Assistants Paid Rs 4,000 Get Minimum Regular Scale, 12% Interest For Same Work: P&H HC

The petitioners were appointed as Library Assistants in the A.C. Joshi Library, Panjab University.

They alleged that Library Assistants appointed before 31 March 2000 received the regular pay scale of Rs. 5,480–8,925, while those appointed after that date—including the petitioners—were paid a fixed salary of Rs. 4,000 per month, despite having the same qualifications and performing the same duties and responsibilities as regular Library Assistants.

They sought the minimum of the regular pay scale from the date their pay was fixed at Rs. 4,000.

As both petitions sought the same relief, the High Court decided them by a common judgment.

The Court applied the principle of “equal pay for equal work” as stated by the Supreme Court in State of Punjab v. Jagjit Singh, (2017) 1 SCC 148. Temporary employees—including contractual employees—who perform duties and responsibilities equivalent to those of regular employees holding the same or corresponding posts are entitled to wages at the minimum of the regular pay scale, subject to the applicable criteria.

The Court also referred to the principle that this entitlement applies where the temporary employees possess the prescribed qualifications and perform the same work as regular employees.

The petitioners’ case was that their qualifications, duties and responsibilities matched those of regular Library Assistants, but their pay had been reduced to a fixed amount of Rs. 4,000 per month.

Applying Jagjit Singh, the Court held that temporary status alone did not justify paying them less than the minimum of the regular scale when they performed the same work.

It therefore accepted the petitioners’ claim to minimum-scale wages.

The petitioners were directed to provide the University with their appointment dates and the dates from which fixed pay was paid; the University was then directed to calculate and grant the amounts due with interest.

Pending applications, if any, were also disposed of.