The Delhi High Court criticized the Railways for forcing boxer Ajay Kumar to fight a long legal battle for his rightful salary increments, calling the conduct “arbitrary and unreasonable.” The court said authorities must treat medal-winning employees with fairness and respect.
The Delhi High Court has strongly criticized government authorities for showing an “insensitive” attitude toward their own employees who bring pride to the country through sports achievements.
The court said that the way such sportspersons are treated undermines the very purpose of government schemes meant to promote sports and boost morale within public services.
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The bench of Justices Navin Chawla and Madhu Jain made these observations while hearing a case involving Ajay Kumar, a boxer who represented India in several international events and won medals at both national and international levels.
The case was about his claim for salary increments that were due to him for his sporting achievements.
The court said,
“This court expresses its strong disapproval of this practice and expects the petitioner authorities to hereafter act with fairness and respect towards their own employees who bring medals to the organisation, rather than forcing them into unnecessary litigation for recognition they have already earned.”
The remarks came while the Delhi High Court dismissed an appeal filed by the Centre, through the Railways, which had challenged an earlier order of the Central Administrative Tribunal (CAT).
The tribunal had directed the authorities to give Ajay Kumar two additional salary increments, along with arrears, for his medal-winning performances. The High Court also imposed a fine of ₹20,000 on the Railways.
Ajay Kumar joined the Ambala Division of the Northern Railways in 2005 under the talent scouting quota for sportspersons. At the time of his recruitment, he was given 17 advance salary increments for his achievements.
In March 2007, he won a silver medal in the 58th Senior National Boxing Championship held in Hyderabad. Later, in June 2007, he represented India in the Asian Boxing Championship in Mongolia and won a bronze medal.
The Railways had a policy in 2007 that allowed sportspersons recruited under this quota to get additional salary increments for outstanding performance in national and international events.
However, this policy was replaced in 2010 with a new one that limited the number of such increments to just three for an employee’s entire career.
In 2014, Ajay Kumar applied for the two increments he had earned in 2007. But the Railways rejected his request, claiming that the 2007 policy had already been replaced by the 2010 one and that a limit on increments was now in place.
Kumar challenged this decision before the CAT, which ruled in his favor. The tribunal directed the Railways to grant him two additional increments and pay him the arrears. The Railways then appealed against this decision before the Delhi High Court.
However, the High Court upheld the tribunal’s order, saying there was no error in the CAT’s decision. The bench held that Kumar’s entitlement was based on his achievements in 2007, and those performances should be governed by the policy that was in force at that time.
The court stated,
“The administrative act of processing or granting the increment could follow later, but the source and measure of the entitlement remain those policies that governed on the dates of the achievements.”
It further said,
“The rejection order dated June 5, 2015, was rested on the misapplication of the 2010 policy to the achievements of 2007 and on an erroneous understanding of the 2010 ceiling clause. The tribunal has, therefore, rightly set it aside and directed the grant of one incentive increment with effect from April 1, 2007, and one incentive increment with effect from July 1, 2007, together with consequential arrears.”
The High Court expressed concern about the way Ajay Kumar was made to fight a long legal battle just to get what was rightfully his.
“The bench said it cannot remain oblivious to the manner in which Kumar, a sportsperson who has brought recognition and honour to the country, has been made to run from pillar to post for what was legitimately due to him.”
The judges added,
“Rather than acknowledging and rewarding his achievements, the Railways chose to entangle him in protracted litigation spanning years, first before the tribunal and now before this court.”
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Finally, the bench remarked,
“This approach reflects a regrettable insensitivity towards employees who have contributed to the institution and the nation’s prestige through sporting excellence.”
It concluded by observing that
“the conduct of the Railways in compelling the sportsperson to seek judicial intervention for benefits that are a matter of his rightful entitlement is both arbitrary and unreasonable.”
The court’s decision serves as a reminder that government departments should show fairness and respect toward employees who bring pride to the nation, instead of forcing them into long and unnecessary legal battles for their legitimate rights.
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