Consider plea for revised salary on merits: HC

Madurai

After a non-judicial member of Tamil Nadu State Consumer Dispute Redressal Commission moved the Madurai Bench of Madras High Court over non-payment of salary in accordance with revised rules, the court directed the Centre and State to consider his representation and pass appropriate orders.

Taking cognisance of the fact that a representation made by the member was pending before authorities, Justice M.S. Ramesh observed that whenever a representation was made to a statutory authority to redress the claim of the employee, there was a duty cast on the authorities concerned to consider the same on merits and pass appropriate orders.

Instead of keeping the representation pending indefinitely, the authorities must consider and pass orders. Any inaction would amount to dereliction of duty, the court said and directed the Centre and the State to consider the representation made by the member, within a period of eight weeks.

However, the judge made it clear that the court had not expressed any of its view with regard to the claim made by the petitioner in the representation and it was for the authorities concerned to consider it in accordance with law.

The court was hearing the petition filed by S.M. Murugeshan from Madurai who said that he was appointed a whole-time non-judicial member of the forum in 2015.

He said that he was not paid remuneration as per the Consumer Protection (Appointment, Salary, Allowances and Conditions of service of President and Members of the State Commission and District Forum) Rules, 2018.