Government Of West Bengal vs Tarun K. Roy And Ors

The Supreme Court addressed the applicability of the doctrine of 'equal pay for equal work' under Article 14 and Article 16 of the Constitution in the context of differing pay scales for the posts of Operator-cum-Mechanic and Sub-Assistant Engineer in the West Bengal Irrigation Department. The Court upheld the validity of the pay disparity, affirming that differences in pay based on educational qualifications and recruitment processes are constitutionally permissible. The appeal was dismissed, affirming the Calcutta High Court's decision that diploma holders in the Operator-cum-Mechanic category were not entitled to the Sub-Assistant Engineer designation or pay scale.