Randhir Singh v. UOI

Randhir Singh Vs. Union of India

Citation: 1982 AIR 879

Bench: OC REDDY

FACTS:

The petition was brought by a driver constable working for the Delhi Police Force under the management of the Delhi Administrations. The scale of pay for the drivers in the Delhi Police Force were fixed at a lower scale than similarly placed drivers in case such as the drivers for the Railway Protection Force,  Secretariat and Non-Secretariat Offices, the Fire Brigade and the Department of Light Houses. The petitioner along with other driver constables under the same pay scale had made a representation before the authorities as their case was not considered separately by the Third Pay Commission. Their claims for better pay scales were not considered and so they had approached the Supreme Court with a writ petition under Article 32 of The Constitution. 

ISSUES:

Whether an employee is entitled to a similar pay scale as similarly placed individuals in other departments of the government. 

JUDGMENT:

The court deliberated upon the issue of equality in remuneration in this case and conceded that the principle of ‘equal pay for equal work’ was not expressly declared by the Constitution to be a Fundamental Right. However, it was recognized to be a Constitutional goal. Article 39(d) of the Constitution proclaims equal pay for equal work for both men and women as a directive principle. 

The court considered Articles 14 and 16 along with the directive principles and the preamble and came to the conclusion that the concept of equal pay for equal work can be deduced if the Articles are properly applied. 

Therefore, the Court ordered the Delhi Administration to fix the pay scale at a level that is at least at par with the drivers of the Railway Protection Force.