In Brief
IMTRAT personnel posted in Bhutan sought removal of depression charged on their Bhutan Compensatory Allowance (BCA) and parity with Foreign Allowance (FA) paid to MEA diplomatic personnel. The High Court's original 2005 order directed retrospective implementation of a 1999 Cabinet decision removing the depression. A 2007 clarification judgment granted parity between BCA and FA. The Supreme Court held that the clarification judgment exceeded the scope of the original order. The Court rejected parity as IMTRAT and MEA personnel have different duties, service conditions, and allowance structures. However, recognizing that IMTRAT personnel work in difficult border areas near China, the Court allowed the appeal in part and ordered removal of the 6% and 4% depression on BCA for Service Officers and PBORs respectively with immediate effect."
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