The Rajasthan High Court has granted relief to two workers employed through placement agencies in the Tribal Area Development Department, holding that they are entitled to the minimum pay scale applicable to Class-IV employees. Justice Kuldeep Mathur allowed their writ petitions and directed the State authorities to issue the necessary orders within 60 days, relying on an earlier ruling involving a similarly placed employee.
Background
The petitions were filed by Sunil Katara, working as a peon at an Eklavya Model Residential School in Kushalgarh, and Anil Kumar Pargi, working as a chowkidar in the Tribal Area Development Department's Banswara office.
Both employees were engaged through placement agencies. They contended that despite performing duties equivalent to other Class-IV employees, they were being denied the minimum of the applicable pay scale.
The State opposed their claims, arguing that neither petitioner had been appointed through a regular selection process and that their engagement through placement agencies did not entitle them to the claimed benefit.
The Court examined its earlier decision in Dhariya v. State of Rajasthan, dated April 8, 2026, which had granted similar relief to an employee engaged through a placement agency.
The Court observed:
"Having heard learned counsel for the parties and upon perusal of the material available on record, this Court finds merit in the submission made on behalf of the petitioners that the writ petition filed by a similarly situated employee has already been allowed by a Coordinate Bench of this Court."
It further noted that the objection concerning engagement through placement agencies and the absence of regular selection had already been considered in the earlier judgment.
Allowing both writ petitions, the High Court directed the respondents to pass necessary orders granting the petitioners the minimum pay scale applicable to Class-IV employees in the department.
The authorities have been given 60 days from the date of receipt of a certified copy of the order to implement the directions.
Pending applications, if any, were also disposed of.
