In Brief
The case concerns whether combatised personnel of Assam Rifles are entitled to receive both Special (Duty) Allowance and Risk/Hardship Allowance. The Supreme Court held that Special (Duty) Allowance is a compensatory allowance. The 2009 office memorandum introducing Risk/Hardship Allowance provided personnel could choose either their existing package of compensatory allowances (including Special (Duty) Allowance) or the new Risk/Hardship Allowance—not both. The Court found the Director General's 2011 order withdrawing the dual payment was a valid implementation of this scheme. The Court set aside the High Court's judgment, allowed the appeals, and confirmed that no amounts already paid would be recovered.
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