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Centre seeks time to correct Air Force pay system

The Central government today sought from Delhi high court five weeks's time to take a policy decision on the Ajit Kumar Committee report, which went into the disparity of pay structure in Air Force. It informed the court that no hike had been affected in the salaries of the pilots.

Central government counsel Rakesh Tikku submitted before a division bench comprising acting Chief Justice Mahinder Narain and Justice Mukul Mudgal that the Union Cabinet was seized of the matter and a review of the committee's recommendations was on.

The bench, after hearing the brief submission of Tikku, adjourned the case for further hearing on September 14.

The court was hearing 35 petitions filed by the ground and technical staff of Air Force seeking removal of the disparity in the pay scale between them and the pilots.

The officers, through senior counsel Arjun Tikri, had approached the court alleging that they were being victimised by the Air Force authorities for raising grievances against the pay disparity by posting them to high-altitude areas. They said the benefit of the hike in pay scale has not been extended to them fully though they were also open to the aviation-related risk.

About the transfer of such staff to the high-altitude areas, the high court had earlier observed, ''This (the transfers) might be even worse than being sent to Kala Paani'' as it was not easy for the officers to acclimatise themselves to the hard environment.

The petitions said that the officers moved the statutory applications before the defence ministry under Section 27 of the Air Force Act expressing their grievances in view of the disparity in pay after the award of the Fifth Pay Commission.

Besides moving the applications before their respective commanding officers for being forwarded to the ministry, the petitioners also sent copies of the applications directly to the ministry.

Taking strong exception to the officers sending an advance copy to the ministry, the air headquarters issued them show-cause notices asking them to reply as to why disciplinary action should not be taken against them for the act.

The petitioners in their replies said under the rules, no disciplinary action can be taken against them on this ground.

The petitioners have alleged that the IAF has resorted to the punitive measure and not even specified the period of stay of such officers in the Ladakh region and about the assignment in the Car Nicobar base.

UNI

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