Daijiworld Media Network - Sullia (SP)

Sullia, Dec 7: The C and D group employees of Lord Subramanya temple in the taluk had approached the high court (HC), seeking directions to the government to extend to them facilities and pay scale as per the fifth and sixth pay commission. The high court, on Friday December 6, dismissed the petition.

Two separate petitions were filed in this regard, one by 21 employees including Devaki, and another set of petitions led by K S Sumathi. The single judge bench of the high court presided over by Justice Krishna Dixit, dismissed the petitions.

The court said that there is no provision under Karnataka Hindu Religious Institutions and Charitable Endowments Act 1997 to extend facility of fifth and sixth pay commission recommendations to the petitioners. It noted that the petitioners happen to be workers who get cumulative wages. "Only permanent employees can be brought under the provisions of the said pay commission by grouping them under C and D categories. Therefore, the court cannot uphold these petitions," the high court noted.

It observed that the law has no provisions to extend the above facilities to the petitioner. It also asserted that the judgement delivered by a division bench of the high court in the case of workers of Renuka Yallamma temple cannot be applied to the current case. The judge pointed out that the division bench had not taken into consideration the amendments brought to the act and observed that the commissioner in muzrai department does not enjoy powers to extend benefits of the pay rules to these employees, as this power rests only with the state government.