The Madras High Court has stayed a Tamil Nadu G.O. of February this year enhancing the salaries of tahsildars, Block Development Officers (BDO) and police Inspectors.
The First Bench consisting of Chief Justice M.Y.Eqbal and Justice T.S.Sivagnanam passed the interim order on a public interest litigation petition by R.K.Ayyappan of Besant Nagar, an advocate, who sought to quash the G.O. dated February 26 hiking the salaries, as illegal and ultra vires.
The petitioner submitted that by the order the government increased the salaries of Tahsildars and BDOs to a total of Rs.59,800. The order said the pay of police Inspectors was also being raised to the same sum. Tahsildars, BDOs and Inspectors are expected to conduct the State Assembly elections, scheduled for April 13, in an unbiased, fair and peaceful manner.
They had an obligation to maintain equanimity. The authorities were aware that elections are to be held in April. No procedure had been adopted for hiking the salaries which was per se illegal and warranted interference by the High Court. The hike gave a wrong impression to society. The authorities' action was “hasty and deliberate,” the petitioner said.
In its order, the First Bench directed the Government Pleader to seek instructions in the matter. As the impugned G.O. had already been stayed by a single judge in other writ petitions, the Bench said it was ordering the stay of the G.O.
