In Brief
The State of Madhya Pradesh challenged a High Court order that had granted pension benefits to a retired forest officer (R.D. Sharma) at the higher apex scale of Rs. 80,000, which was fixed for an upgraded post created in 2008. Sharma had retired in 2001, before the upgrade. The Supreme Court held that a retired officer cannot claim benefits from a post upgraded after their retirement, particularly when the upgrade involves selection from serving officers. The principle of "equal pay for equal work" does not apply to pay scale determinations, which are executive functions. The Court set aside the High Court's order, finding it had misapplied this principle and wrongly interfered with the Tribunal's decision.
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