Allahabad High Court
Sahab Raj Singh And 50 Others vs State Of U.P. And 3 Others on 2 September, 2025
Author: Saurabh Shyam Shamshery
Bench: Saurabh Shyam Shamshery
HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT ALLAHABAD
HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT ALLAHABAD
WRIT A No. - 47952 of 2017
Sahab Raj Singh and others
..Petitioners(s)
Versus
State of U.P. and others
..Respondents(s)
Counsel for Petitioners(s)
:
Dharmveer Singh
Counsel for Respondent(s)
:
C.S.C., Ganesh Datt Mishra
Reserved on 27.08.2025
Delivered on 02.09.2025
Court No. - 5
HONBLE SAURABH SHYAM SHAMSHERY, J.
1. Petitioners before this Court are Ex Employees of Pradeshik Cooperative Dairy Federation Limited (hereinafter referred to as Federation). It is not under much dispute that said Federation was in great loss and, therefore, salary to its employees was not regularly paid.
2. In aforesaid circumstances, an issue came up before Lucknow Bench of this Court in Dr. Indra Jeet Singh vs. U.P. Cooperative Dairy Federation and Milk Union (Service Bench No. 158 of 2012), decided on 15.04.2013 and relevant part of judgment is reproduced hereinafter:
8. In view of submission made and statement given by Principal Secretary, Government of U.P. and after hearing parties' counsel, we direct to pay 50 per cent of the total dues in current financial year and remaining 50 per cent in the next financial year i.e. 2014-15.
9. Needless to say that the employees of PCDF are suffering stream hardship, mental pain and agony since almost a year or more including the retired employees. Non payment of post retiral dues or the salary on the part of respondents for any reason whatsoever is violative of Article 21 of the Constitution of India which guarantees right to livelihood. It shall be open for the government to consider the report of the Committee (supra) and take appropriate decision but so far as payment of salary is concerned it must be paid within two years in the manner provided by present order.
10. State government shall also ensure to pay the current salary w.e.f. May 2013 keeping in view the statement given by Principal Secretary Shri Arvind Dev in the Court.
11. We hope and expect that employees shall cooperate to tone up the functioning of the PCDF and not create any hurdle/obstruction by way of Dharna or otherwise since the controversy with regard to salary has been settled by this Court. A decision shall also be taken with regard to payment of entire dues in accordance to rules with regard to retired employees along with interest (supra) within the period of three months from the date of receipt of a certified copy of this order and communicate the same. The Government/Principal Secretary as well as the Chief Secretary of the State shall ensure the compliance of order passed by this Court in its letter and spirit.
Subject to aforesaid direction and observation made hereinabove, we dispose of all the writ petitions finally.
3. On basis of aforesaid judgment the Federation has come up with a Scheme dated 27.05.2013 for Voluntary Retirement. Relevant part of Scheme is mentioned hereinafter:
3. वर्तमान में विभिन्न संवर्गों के तृतीय एवं चतुर्थ श्रेणी के अन्तर्गत कुल1495 कर्मचारी कार्यरत हैं तथा प्रबन्धकीय वर्ग में कुल 278 प्रबन्धक कार्यरत हैं। मा० उच्च न्यायालय में उच्च स्तरीय समिति द्वारा दी गयी रिपोर्ट में लगभग 15 प्रतिशत कार्मिकों द्वारा स्वैच्छिक सेवानिवृत्ति लिये जाने की संभावना व्यक्त की गयी है परन्तु वास्तविक संख्या का आकलन प्रार्थना पत्र प्राप्त होने पर ही किया जा सकता है। स्वैच्छिक सेवानिवृत्ति हेतु कार्यरत कार्मिकों के तृतीय श्रेणी के 182 (15%) एवं चतुर्थ श्रेणी के 43 (15%) कर्मियों एवं प्रबन्धकीय वर्ग के श्रेणी-4 के 14 प्रबंधकों (20%) एवं श्रेणी-3 के 41 प्रबन्धकों (20%) को स्वैच्छिक सेवानिवृत्ति दिये जाने पर प्रबन्धन द्वारा विचार किया जा सकता है तथा किसी भी श्रेणी में संख्या कम करने / बढ़ाने का अधिकार प्रबन्धन के विवेकाधीन रहेगा।
4. पी०सी०डी०एफ० का मुख्य कार्य ग्रामीण क्षेत्रों की सहकारी दुग्ध समितियों के माध्यम से दुग्ध उपार्जन कर शहरी क्षेत्र में उपभोक्ताओं को तरल दुग्ध एवं दुग्ध उत्पाद उपलब्ध कराना है। यह दोनों कार्य फील्ड से सम्बन्धित है तथा यह कार्य युवा वर्ग के उपयोग द्वारा ही कुशलता पूर्वक सम्पादित करते हुए संस्था को नई दिशा प्रदान की जा सकती है। कतिपय कारणों से पूर्व में कर्मचारी हतोत्साहित हुए हैं और अधिकांश कर्मियों की सेवानिवृत्ति भी निकट है। इस प्रकार के स्टाफ से अपेक्षाओं के अनुरुप कार्य कराकर परिणाम प्राप्त किया जाना संभव नहीं प्रतीत होता है। अतएव ऐसे कार्मिकों को स्वैच्छिक सेवानिवृत्ति दिया जाना ही उपयुक्त प्रतीत होता है।
5. स्वैच्छिक सेवानिवृत्ति हेतु प्रार्थना पत्र प्राप्त होने पर वरिष्ठता के आधार पर स्वैच्छिक सेवानिवृत्ति (वी०आर०एस०) दिये जाने पर प्राथमिकता से विचार किया जाना उपयुक्त होगा, जिससे स्थापना व्यय में काफी कमी आएगी तथा संविदा के आधार पर आउट सोर्सिंग से युवा एवं उत्साही स्टाफ से अधिक गुणवत्ता का कार्य कराया जाना संभव हो सकेगा । यदि स्वैच्छिक सेवानिवृत्ति हेतु अपेक्षित मात्रा में प्रार्थना पत्र प्राप्त नहीं होते हैं, तो स्वैच्छिक सेवानिवृत्ति योजना के अनुरूप भुगतान करते हुए कार्मिकों की अनिवार्य सेवानिवृत्ति पर विचार किया जा सकता है।
6. स्वैच्छिक सेवा निवृत्ति हेतु प्रस्तावित कार्मिकों की वेतनमान वार संख्या निम्नवत् है:-
क०सं०
कार्मिकों की श्रेणी
कार्मिकों की संख्या
छठे वेतनमान के अन्तर्गत वेतनमान
1.
प्रबन्धक ग्रेड-3
15600-39100
2.
प्रबन्धक ग्रेड-4
15600-39100
3.
तृतीय श्रेणी कार्मिक
15600-39100
4.
तृतीय श्रेणी कार्मिक
9300-34800
5.
चतुर्थ श्रेणी कार्मिक
5200-20200
6.
चतुर्थ श्रेणी कार्मिक
5200-20200
योग
7. उपरोक्तानुसार प्रस्तावित स्वैच्छिक सेवानिवृत्ति योजना हेतु अनुमानित व्यय भार की स्थिति निम्नवत होगी:-
(1) स्वैच्छिक सेवानिवृत्ति हेतु अनुग्रह धनराशि 55,40,83,740.00
(2) ग्रेच्युटी 19,77,28,293.00
(3) उपार्जित अवकाश नगदीकरण 12,31,29,720.00
(4) यात्रा भत्ता भुगतान 51,36,500.00
(5) नोटिस अवधि के तीन माह का वेतन 3,69,38,916.00
(6) लम्बित वेतन की धनराशि 10,00,00,000.00
------------------------------
योगः 1,01,70,17,169,00
------------------------------
8. शासन द्वारा धनराशि प्राप्त होने के उपरांत कमांक-2 में उल्लिखित सेवा निवृत्तक लाभों की स्पष्ट जानकारी देते हुए कार्मिकों से प्रार्थना पत्र आमंत्रित कर नियमानुसार कार्यवाही किये जाने की संस्तुति की जाती है।"
4. It is not under much dispute that all petitioners before this Court have taken benefit of aforesaid Scheme and granted Voluntary Retirement. Petitioners have claimed that in aforesaid Scheme their salary were shown after adopting recommendations of Sixth Pay Commission, however, when petitioners were granted Voluntary Retirement, their payments were determined in terms of recommendations of Fifth Pay Commission.
5. Sri Dharmaveer Singh, Sri Rakesh Kumar Mathur, Sri Shivendra Nath Singh and Sri Sanjay Pandey, Advocates for petitioners are not able to dispute that conditions of Voluntary Retirement Scheme were mentioned in communication dated 24.09.2015 wherein it was specifically mentioned that petitioners dues will be determined in terms of recommendations of Fifth Pay Commission. For reference the conditions of Voluntary Retirement Scheme, as prescribed in letter dated 24.09.2015, is reproduced hereinafter:
3. स्वैच्छिक सेवानिवृत्ति ग्रहण करने वाले कार्मिकों को निम्नलिखित सेवानिवृत्तक लाभ प्राप्त होंगे-
(क) कर्मी के खाते में जमा उपार्जित अवकाश वेतन के बराबर धनराशि का भुगतान। (ख) कार्मिकों पर पी०सी०डी०एफ० में लागू ग्रेच्युटी योजना के अनुसार ग्रेच्युटी की धनराशि का भुगतान।
(ग) भविष्यनिधि लेखे में देय अवशेष धनराशि का भुगतान
(घ) जी०एस०एल०आई० के अन्तर्गत देय धनराशि का भुगतान।
(च) कार्मिकों का उनके ऊपर प्रभावी सुसंगत नियमों के अन्तर्गत स्वैच्छिक सेवानिवृत्ति सम्बन्धी तीन माह की नोटिस के बदले उसका वेतन।
(छ) कार्मिक की प्रत्येक वर्ष की पूर्ण सेवा की गयी सेवा के लिये डेढ़ माह की वेतन परिलब्धियों (वेतन तथा महगाई भत्ता) के समान अनुग्रह धनराशि या स्वैच्छिक सेवानिवृत्ति के समय मासिक वेतन परिलब्धियों को अधिवर्षता आयु पूर्ण करने पर सेवानिवृत्ति की सामान्य तिथि से पहले अवशेष महीनों से गुणा करने पर निकाली गयी धनराशि जो भी कम हो, के अनुसार भुगतान का हक़दार होगा। उदाहरण के लिये यदि किसी कर्मचारी ने 24 वर्ष की सेवा पूर्ण कर ली हो और उसकी सामान्य सेवानिवृत्ति के लिये केवल 01 वर्ष शेष रह गये हो तो उसे 12 भाह की परिलब्धियों के बराबर एक्सग्रेसिया का भुगतान किया जाय न कि 36 माह की परिलब्धियों का। वर्तमान में पंचम वेतनमान की परिलब्धियों में मूल वेतन, मूल वेतन का 50 प्रतिशत एवं डी०ए० का भुगतान किया जायेगा। प्रबन्ध प्रशिक्षणार्थी के रूप में नियुक्त कर्मियों के सेवाकाल की गणना उनके प्रबन्ध प्रशिक्षणार्थी पद पर योगदान की तिथि से होगी।"
6. There is a clarification letter on record dated 30.09.2015 wherein it was specifically mentioned that Voluntary Retirement Scheme will be considered on basis of recommendations of Fifth Pay Commission.
7. Petitioners have come up with a case that their fixation be done in terms of recommendations of Sixth Pay Commission and difference of dues be paid.
8. During pendency of this writ petition, some of the petitioners have died and their respective legal heirs are on record.
9. Sri Ganesh Datt Mishra, learned counsel appearing for Respondents-2 and 3, has submitted that petitioners have accepted the conditions of Voluntary Retirement Scheme with open eyes and amount determined have already been paid, therefore, they cannot now agitate that they be given benefit of recommendations of Sixth Pay Commission. Now there is no employee and employer relationship between petitioners and Federation.
10. I have considered the submissions and perused the material on record.
11. On basis of record, it could not be disputed that all petitioners have applied for Voluntary Retirement Scheme in terms of communications dated 24.09.2015 and 30.09.2015 wherein it was specifically mentioned that fixation will be done on basis of recommendations of Fifth Pay Commission. There was no reference of Sixth Pay Commission in aforesaid two communications. Therefore, only on basis of an earlier proposed Scheme, wherein only the calculation of salary on basis of recommendations of Sixth Pay Commission was done, it could not be claimed that it was a final determination, when subsequently the Scheme was issued with specific condition that on Voluntary Retirement all petitioners will be given benefit of recommendations of Fifth Pay Commission only.
12. There is another factor which goes against petitioners. It is on record that by communication dated 29.04.2013 a decision was taken that proposal to adopt recommendation of Sixth Pay Commission was kept in abeyance.
13. In aforesaid circumstances, once petitioners have accepted conditions of Voluntary Retirement Scheme with open eyes and it is not the case that they were forced to accept it, therefore, now they are not permitted to take a U-turn that they will be granted benefit of recommendations of Sixth Pay Commission.
14. The Court takes note of a judgment passed by Supreme Court in A.K. Bindal and another vs. Union of India and others, (2003)5 SCC 163, wherein the issue, whether an employee can maintain a claim after accepting Voluntary Retirement under Voluntary Retirement Scheme and receiving payment, was considered and the Supreme Court declined the relief holding that if the employee is still permitted to raise a grievance regarding enhancement of pay scale from a retrospective date, even after he has opted for Voluntary Retirement Scheme and has accepted the amount paid to him, the whole purpose of introducing the Scheme would be totally frustrated. Relevant paragraphs of the judgment are reproduced hereinafter:
32. The units of the companies have already suspended their operations quite some time back and as on date no unit is functioning nor any production is being made. There is also no denial of the fact that the companies have suffered huge losses and salaries of the employees who were practically doing no work has been paid by the Government for a considerable long period. The employees accepted VRS with their eyes open without making any kind of protest regarding their past rights based upon revision of pay scale from 1.1.1992.
33. The Voluntary Retirement Scheme (VRS) which is some times called Voluntary Separation Scheme (VSS) is introduced by companies and industrial establishments in order to reduce the surplus staff and to bring in financial efficiency. The Office Memorandum dated 5.5.2000 issued by Government of India provided that for sick and unviable units, the VRS package of Department of Heavy Industry will be adopted. Under this Scheme an employee is entitled to an ex-gratia payment equivalent to 45 days emoluments (pay + D.A.) for each completed year of service or the monthly emoluments at the time of retirement multiplied by the balance months of service left before the normal date of retirement, whichever is less. This is in addition to terminal benefits. The Government was conscious about the fact that the pay scales of some of the PSUs had not been revised with effect from 1.1.1992 and therefore, it has provided adequate compensation in that regard in the second VRS which was announced for all Central Public Sector Undertakings on 6.11.2001. Clause (a) of the scheme reads as under:
a) Ex-gratia payment in respect of employees on pay scales at 1.1.1987 and 1.1.92 levels, computed on their existing pay scales in accordance with the extant scheme, shall be increased by 100% and 50% respectively.
34. This shows that a considerable amount is to be paid to an employee ex-gratia besides the terminal benefits in case he opts for voluntary retirement under the Scheme and his option is accepted. The amount is paid not for doing any work or rendering any service. It is paid in lieu of the employee himself leaving the services of the company or the industrial establishment and foregoing all his claims or rights in the same. It is a package deal of give and take. That is why in business world it is known as ''Golden Handshake''. The main purpose of paying this amount is to bring about a compete cessation of the jural relationship between the employer and the employee. After the amount is paid and the employee ceases to be under the employment of the company or the undertaking, he leaves with all his rights and there is no question of his again agitating for any kind of his past rights, with his erstwhile employer including making any claim with regard to enhancement of pay scale for an earlier period. If the employee is still permitted to raise a grievance regarding enhancement of pay scale from a retrospective date, even after he has opted for Voluntary Retirement Scheme and has accepted the amount paid to him, the whole purpose of introducing the Scheme would be totally frustrated.
35. The contention that the employees opted for VRS under any kind of compulsion is not worthy of acceptance. The petitioners are officers of the two companies and are mature enough to weigh the pros and cons of the options which were available to them. They could have waited and pursued their claim for revision of pay scale without opting for VRS. However they, in their wisdom thought that in the fact situation VRS was a better option available and chose the same. After having applied for VRS and taken the money it is not open to them to contend that they exercised the option under any kind of compulsion. In view of the fact that nearly ninety nine per cent of employees have availed of the VRS Scheme and have left the companies (FCI & HFC), the writ petition no longer survives and has become infructuous. (Emphasis supplied)
15. In State of A.P. and another vs. A.P. Pensioners Association and others, (2005)13 SCC 161 Supreme Court held that financial implication is a relevant criteria for the employer to determine as to what benefit be granted pursuance to or in furtherance of recommendations of Pay Revision Committee.
16. In ITI Limited vs. ITI EX/VR Employees/ Officers Welfare Association and others, (2010) 12 SCC 347 short question involve was, whether after an employee has accepted the VRS Scheme and received payment under it, can he subsequently claim a higher amount because of subsequent wage revision with retrospective effect by the employer and the question was answered that employees after opting of VRS cannot claim revision in wages retrospectively.
17. In view of above, prayer sought cannot be granted. The writ petition is accordingly dismissed.
September 02, 2025
AK
