Supreme Court Intervenes in Railway Pay Dispute

The Railway Board has instructed all zones to adhere to a Supreme Court order temporarily stopping a Calcutta High Court ruling. This ruling granted chief loco inspectors 55% pay benefits upon retirement, a request similar to that of running staff, which the Supreme Court deemed inequitable.

The Railway Board has issued a directive to all its zones following the Supreme Court's temporary halt of a Calcutta High Court order. This order had initially granted chief loco inspectors (CLIs) a 55% pay element for retirement benefits, equating them with running staff such as loco pilots.

The advisory, dated September 16, emphasizes the uniqueness of this case, marking the first instance where the apex court has intervened with such a directive. The Railway Board has urged its zones to leverage this order when facing similar claims in various courts.

The Supreme Court underlined the distinction between running and static staff, asserting that extending similar pay benefits to CLIs contradicts Article 14 of the Constitution, which pertains to equality before the law.