GAURAV SONI AND OTHERS Versus THE UOI AND OTHERS CWP-19497 of 2025 11.12.2025 Present: Mr. R.L. Chaudhary, Advocate, for the petitioners. Mr. Balram Sharma, DSGI, for the respondents. CWP-19497 of 2025 & CMP-30095 of 2025 Notice. Mr. Balram Sharma, learned Deputy Solicitor General of India, accepts notice on behalf of the respondents. 2. Petitioners are aggrieved against the order passed by the respondents on 28.11.2025 (Annexure P-5), to the effect that the contractual employees presently serving in ECHS on Court orders would be paid the old rate of salary till the adjudication of the matter, and the consequent decision ordering recovery of the alleged over- payment made to these employees for the period w.e.f. 24.07.2025 to 31.10.2025 from their pay for the month of December, 2025 onwards. 3. Since the petitioners are admittedly discharging their duties, prima facie higher scales admittedly being paid to similarly situated employees serving in ECHS in terms of the new policy is also to be paid to the petitioners. Petitioners’ serving under the Court orders would not change the nature of their duties or make them less entitled to the pay-scale attached to the posts held by them. Accordingly, there shall be a stay of the impugned order dated 28.11.2025 (Annexure P-5) till the next date. However, it is clarified that petitioners shall continue to get revised pay. Respondents to file their reply adverting to the above contentions within three weeks. List thereafter. December 11, 2025 (Sandeep Sharma), (Rajeev Raturi) Judge