In Brief
Odisha Home Guards with 10-15 years of service sought Duty Call-up Allowance (DCA) matching the minimum pay of Police personnel, as mandated by the Supreme Court in Grah Rakshak v. State of Himachal Pradesh. The State argued it had complied by paying contractual Constables' entry-level salary (Rs. 9,000/month). The Court held that Home Guards are entitled to Rs. 533 per day DCA, calculated to equal minimum Police pay over 30 days. The quantum was upheld, but arrears were restricted to accrue from the writ petition filing date (01.06.2018) rather than from the 2016 Director General recommendation, considering substantial financial burden. Home Guards are entitled to periodic DCA increases aligned with Police pay revisions.
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