C.W.P. No. 18740 of 2009 (1) IN THE HIGH COURT OF PUNJAB AND HARYANA AT CHANDIGARH C.W.P. No. 18740 of 2009 DATE OF DECISION: 08.08.2011 Hakam Singh ..........Petitioner Versus Punjab State Electricity Board, Patiala and Ors. ..........Respondents BEFORE:- HON'BLE MRS. JUSTICE DAYA CHAUDHARY Present:- Mr. IPS Kohli, Advocate for the petitioner. Mr. J.S. Sidhu, Advocate for the respondents. **** DAYA CHAUDHARY, J. The present petition under Article 226 of the Constitution of India has been filed for issuing directions to the respondents to grant the benefit of proficiency step up in the pay scale on completion of 23 years of service from due date in view of the policy of the Board for grant of promotional scale and increments to the petitioner. Learned counsel for the petitioner contends that the petitioner joined the service of respondent-Board as Lineman on 3.12.1975 and subsequently he was promoted to the post of Junior Engineer (Induction post) in the year 1979. Thereafter, the petitioner was appointed on the post of Junior Engineer-I in the year 2005 and has completed 50 years of age on 2.4.1998. As per the policy of the Board, the employees on completion of 23 years of service are entitled to be placed in next higher scale. Learned counsel for the petitioner also submits that inspite of making representations by the petitioner as well as serving legal notice, the said benefit has not been granted to him. Learned counsel further submitted that one Jasbir Singh under the same and similar circumstances C.W.P. No. 18740 of 2009 (2) approached this Court by way of filing C.W.P. No. 17270 of 2007, which was allowed and respondents were directed to release all monetary and financial benefits including the next higher scale on completion of 23 years of service. Learned counsel also submits that the case of the petitioner is squarely covered by the judgment of this Court passed in C.W.P. No. 17270 of 2007. Learned counsel for the respondents has also not disputed the fact that the petitioner has completed 23 years of service with the respondent-Board as on 3.12.1998. Heard the arguments advanced by learned counsel for the parties as well as perused the documents available on file. The grouse of the petitioner in the present case is that he has not been paid proficiency step up on completion of 23 years of regular service and his claim has been rejected by the respondents on the ground that the petitioner had failed to qualify departmental examination and as such is not entitled for the benefit of the policy on completion of 23 years of service. Learned counsel for the respondents has also not disputed the fact that the case of the petitioner is squarely covered by the judgment of this Court passed in C.W.P. No. 17270 of 2007 on 10.3.2009. In view of the submissions made by learned counsel for the parties as well as decision in C.W.P. No. 17270 of 2007, the present petition is allowed. The respondents are directed to release all monetary and financial benefits to the petitioner and grant him benefit of 23 years of service with all consequential benefits within a period of three months from the date of receipt of copy of the order. August 08, 2011 (DAYA CHAUDHARY) pooja JUDGE C.W.P. No. 18740 of 2009 (3) Note:-Whether this case is to be referred to the Reporter .......Yes/No