Manish Kumar Rai vs Union Of India Ministry Of Defence

The Supreme Court upheld the decision of the Armed Forces Tribunal regarding the grade pay of Artificers in the Indian Navy, affirming that the classification of Artificers III, II, and I in the S-9 category with a grade pay of Rs.3400 was consistent with the 6th Central Pay Commission recommendations as per the Gazette Notification dated 30th August 2008. The Court clarified that the pay structure for Artificers was distinct from non-technical personnel, thus rejecting the appellant's claim for equal grade pay of Rs.4200. The judgment reinforced the principle that pay scales can differ based on technical classifications within the armed forces.