Bhubaneswar: The Supreme Court has directed the Odisha government to reconsider its decision of paying Rs 9,000 per month to the Home Guards working for more than 15 years.
The bench of Justices MR Shah and BV Nagarathna issued the direction while hearing a Special Leave Petition filed by the state government against Orissa High Court’s order on August 19, 2020.
“To pay Rs 9,000 per month is nothing but an exploitation. How can a Home Guard personnel survive and maintain his family members on monthly payment of Rs 9,000 when he is performing almost the same/similar duties performed by other police personnel?” the LiveLaw quoted the bench as stating while asking the state to reconsider its decision.
The bench further noted that it was not in dispute that the Home Guards in Odisha were being paid Rs 9,000 per month at the rate of Rs 300 per day and that other police personnel were getting around Rs 21,700 (after six years of their contractual appointment) as per the recommendations made by the Seventh Pay Commission.
