CHENNAI: The Madras High Court has observed that courts have limited scope for issuing positive orders on petitions filed by government employees seeking stepping up of their pay, as it would have financial liabilities on the state.
The observation was made by a division bench of justices S M Subramaniam and N Senthilkumar while setting aside a single judge’s order for stepping up the pay of a headmistress in Tiruvannamalai district.
Stating that stepping up of pay, fixation of pay, or re-fixation are complex issues to be done only after verifying the service records of individual employees, the bench noted the Supreme Court reiterated that the high courts are expected to exercise restraint in granting direction in such matters. Also, it said the equation of posts and salaries is a complex matter that should be left to an expert body.
The order was passed on an appeal filed by the director of school education against the 2025 order of a single judge directing the stepping up of pay for headmistress G Malathi from Kootrampalli.
Referring to Malathi’s plea for equalising pay on a par with a junior, who was granted an incentive increment, the bench said it has to be ascertained on what basis the incentive increment was granted.
Despite setting aside the single judge’s order, the bench told the director of school education to consider the case of the respondent Malathi in terms of the July 16, 2025, G.O of the school education department as expeditiously as possible.