In a significant order,the Gujarat High Court (HC) has asked the state government to give wages to all government employees on the lines of the Sixth Pay Commission recommendations.

The HC order came in wake of a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) challenging the pay scales of certain government employees like Vidhya Sahayaks,Lok Rakshaks,Jail Sipahi in Gujarat. The PIL said their wages is less than even the minimum wages stipulated for them.

The PIL was moved by an Ahmedabad-based legal rights group,Yogkshem Foundation. The petitioner organisation had challenged the government’s policy of recruiting Vidhya Sahayaks,Lok Rakshaks,and Jail Sipahi on fixed wages of Rs 2,500 for a period of five years. Terming this as against the provisions of the Minimum Wages Act,the petitioner had demanded wages on the basis of Sixth Pay Commission recommendations.

The petitioner said that the government decision was exploitation of the employees,which has the potential to encourage corruption in the day-to-day functioning of the state departments.

Rajendra Shukla from the petitioner organisation said that following the PIL,the state government had revised the pay scale of these employees on the lines of the Fifth Pay Commission.

“But the court quashed it and directed the government to give these employees wages as per the recommendations of the Sixth Pay Commission,” said Shukla.

He added: “The court has also asked the government to consider regularising those employees who are working on a contract basis for more than three years.”