INDIA
Citation(1982) 1 SCC 618
CourtSupreme Court of India
Date15 December 1981
Year1982
BenchO. Chinnappa Reddy, A. Varadarajan JJ.
Acts/ArticlesArticle 14, Article 16, Article 39(d)
CategoryConstitutional Law, Service & Employment Law

Key Principle Established

Equal pay for equal work is a constitutional goal derivable from Articles 14, 16, and 39(d) read together.

Brief Facts

A driver in the Delhi Police challenged pay disparity between drivers in different central government departments performing identical work.

Ratio Decidendi

Justice Chinnappa Reddy held that equal pay for equal work is a constitutional goal enforceable through Articles 14 and 16. Where two sets of employees perform the same work under the same employer, they are entitled to the same pay scale.

Impact & Significance

The starting point for equal pay jurisprudence in India. Cited thousands of times by government employees seeking pay parity, including in Haryana service matters.

Tags & Related Topics

Constitutional Law Service & Employment Law Article 14 Article 16 Article 39(d)
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Disclaimer

This judgment summary is for educational and research purposes. While care has been taken to accurately represent the ratio and findings, for authoritative reference always consult the original judgment text from official sources (SCC Online, AIR, Manupatra, or court websites).

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