New Delhi
The Delhi High Court has provided significant relief to contract teachers. The court has ordered the contract teachers of Delhi Municipal Corporation to pay salary as per the seventh pay scale. About two and a half thousand contract teachers of MCD will get the benefit of this decision. The bench of Justice Naveen Chawla and Justice Madhu Jain clarified in its decision that people doing equal work should get equal pay.
This decision is based on the constitutional principle of equal pay for equal work. The bench mentioned the important decision of the Supreme Court, mentioning the state of Jagjit Singh vs Punjab, saying that giving different salary to two employees doing the same work is against human dignity.
The bench raised the question that when regular and contract teachers are doing equal work in the corporation’s school, then why should there be a variation in their salary. It is clear that they are entitled to get equal pay.
Contract teachers entitled to this
The case was initially filed by Shahnaz Parveen and others against the Municipal Corporation of Delhi in the Union Administrative Tribunal (CAT). Contract teachers had demanded through advocate Anuj Aggarwal that they should be given a minimum pay scale according to the Seventh Pay Commission. Kat accepted this demand, but the MCD challenged its order in the Delhi High Court. The High Court dismissed the MCD petition, saying that there is a question of equal pay for equal work, and the teachers working on contract are entitled to it.
‘Will have to pay with interest’
CAT had clarified in the order given on May 21 that teachers should be given equal pay as regular teachers from January 1, 2016. Along with this, there is a need to provide dearness allowance and other benefits. If this payment is not made within three months, MCD will also have to pay interest on it. The High Court has also maintained this order.
