Pankajkumar Harichandra Sali and Ors. v. the State of Maharashtra Thr Principal Secretry and Ors.
Case brief
What is this about?
Ekstar; one step promotional pay scale; Zilla Parishad employees; tribal area; PESA area; Government Resolution 06.08.2002; Government Resolution 14.08.2008 clarification; Government Resolution 29.02.2024 General Administration Department; salary arrears; scrutiny by Education Officer (Secondary) Zilla Parishad; private institution employees; Hiralal Jagannath Bawa W.P. 8824/2021 dated 21.12.2021; W.P. 13842/2025; Bombay High Court Aurangabad Bench; writ petitions allowed; pay-scale benefits conditional on eligibility scrutiny. Companion petitions disposed identically: W.P. Nos. 1358, 4885, 4886, 4887, 4888, 4889, 4890, 4891, 4892, 4893, 4894, 4895, 4900, 4904, 4905, 4906, 261, 5244, 5245, 5246, 5249, 5250 of 2026.
What did the court decide?
Writ petitions allowed with directions: (i) Respondent/Education Officer (Secondary), Zilla Parishad to scrutinize the Petitioners' records and places of deployment within 30 days, considering the G.R. dated 29.02.2024 and/or any other relevant G.R.; (ii) cases with no legal impediment after verification to be cleared, and one-step pay-scale salary benefits (Tribal and PESA areas) paid with arrears and current salary within a further 30 days; (iii) Petitioners found ineligible to be given notice and an opportunity to appear and be heard; (iv) hearing to be completed within 120 days, followed by an appropriate order granting one-step pay-scale benefits to those found eligible; (v) Petitioners suffering an adverse order to be at liberty to avail statutory remedies in light of the G.R. dated 29.02.2024 (General Administration Department) and/or any other relevant G.R.