Nagpur: Maharashtra Government and Assistant Director of Higher Education Anjali Rahatgaonkar on Monday were left red-faced and embarrassed over pay fixation issue of Rashtrasant Tukdoji Maharaj Nagpur University Registrar Puran Meshram. Anjali Rahatgaonkar and the Government have been directed by the Nagpur Bench of Bombay High Court to withdraw the two orders passed in the matter of pay fixation of the Registrar.
The Assistant Director of Higher Education Anjali Rahatgaonkar, while dealing with the proposal sent by RTMNU on pay fixation of Meshram, had returned the proposal with outrageous remarks: “In RTMNU, recognition is received by pressuring the administration. Such kind of works are being done in the University. Puran Meshram’s pay fixation proposal is a live example of such affairs.” The remark left Meshram fuming with anger and he, through his lawyer, sent a notice to Rahatgaonkar. Later, the Assistant Director sent the “remarked” proposal back to the University. As a result, Puran Meshram again reached the High Court.
The Division Bench of Justice Bhushan Gavai and Justice Pradeep Deshmukh, hearing the matter, observed that the remark and order of Anjali Rahatgaonkar amount to contempt. The judges also slammed the Assistant Director over issue forcing her to withdraw the remark and her order. The High Court also issued a notice to Rahatgaonkar and directed her to file an affidavit within two weeks.
Meshram was appointed in RTMNU on the post of Assistant Registrar in 1994. In accordance with the May 4, 1991 rules, the Assistant Registrar was given the pay scale equivalent to teacher’s post. Later, on January 7, 2000, Meshram was promoted to the post of Deputy Registrar. According to the rules, Deputy Registrar gets the pay scale of Deputy Reader. However, from the office of Assistant Director, Meshram was deprived of the pay scale. On May 30, 2009, Meshram was appointed as Finance and Accounts Officer of the University. This post receives pay scale of a lecturer. However, the Assistant Director again denied the pay scale to Meshram and the matter reached the Higher and Technical Education Department. Meanwhile, Meshram knocked the doors of High Court and sought implementation of relevant pay scales for the posts he held as Deputy Registrar and later as Finance and Accounts Officer of the University.
After hearing all the sides, the High Court granted the relevant pay scales as demanded by Puran Meshram. In accordance with the High Court directives, the pay scale of Meshram was fixed and implemented as well. Meanwhile, Meshram was reappointed on the post of Finance and Accounts Officer of the University on May 30, 2014. A proposal in this regard was also sent to the Governor. However, the Governor rejected the proposal forcing Meshram to approach the High Court again. This time also, the Court ruled in favour of Meshram. However, the University filed an appeal in Supreme Court against the High Court ruling.
The Apex Court too disappointed the University forcing the University to sent pay scale fixation proposal to Assistant Director of Higher Education. At that time, the Assistant Director Anjali Rahatgaonkar, on July 17, 2015, wrote an outrageous remark “In University, recognition is received by pressuring the administration. Such kind of works are being done in the University. Puran Meshram’s pay fixation is live example of such affairs.” The remark left Meshram red-faced and he, through his lawyer, sent a notice to Rahatgaonkar. Later, the Assistant Director sent the “remarked” proposal back to the University. As a result, Puran Meshram again reached the High Court.
