Railway Authorities Must Decide Notional-Pay Representation by a Reasoned Order

The applicants, Trackmen in Moradabad Division, had applied for Group ‘D’ posts advertised by Northern Railway in 2012. After their candidatures were rejected, they successfully pursued O.A. No. 1061/2015, which the Tribunal allowed on 14 December 2021.

Following contempt proceedings, the respondents offered them appointments on 5 March 2024, and they joined on 23 March 2024.

The applicants later sought notional pay fixation at par with batchmates, from the date their immediate junior entered service in 2013. They had submitted a representation on 18 November 2025. In this OA, they sought liberty to make a detailed representation citing relevant Tribunal decisions.

1. Whether the applicants were entitled to notional pay fixation at par with their batchmates from the date their immediate junior joined service in 2013.

2. Whether the respondents should be directed to consider a fresh, detailed representation and issue a reasoned decision.

The Tribunal did not apply or determine any substantive statutory provision, legal doctrine, or identified precedent concerning notional pay fixation.

The operative procedural direction was that the applicants could submit a detailed representation and the respondents must consider it and pass a reasoned and speaking order; the Tribunal expressly left the merits open.

The matter was disposed of at the admission stage with the consent of both sides.

The applicants’ request was limited to obtaining an opportunity to make a detailed representation, and the respondents did not oppose that course. The Tribunal therefore directed consideration of the representation rather than deciding whether the applicants qualified for notional pay fixation. It expressly stated that it had not examined or expressed any opinion on the merits.

It permitted them to file a detailed, self-explanatory representation within seven days of the date of the certified copy of the order. The respondents were directed to consider it and pass a reasoned and speaking order within eight weeks of its receipt. The OA and pending MA were disposed of, with no order as to costs.