Karnataka HC directs State govt to pay additional remuneration to 1,131 licensed surveyors for extra works entrusted to them during 2008-2013

High Court of Karnataka orders State government to pay licensed surveyors for extra work performed during 2008-2013.

The High Court of Karnataka has directed the State government to pay remunerations for the extra works performed by 1,131 licensed surveyors attached to the Department of Survey, Settlement and Land Records in addition to their job chart during the period 2008-2013.

Pointing out that the amount payable to the licensed surveyors is not debited to the exchequer but raised from the beneficiaries of their service, the court said that non-payment of remuneration for extra work assigned to them amounts to unjust enrichment of the Government and eventually an unjust impoverishment of the licensed surveyors, who are not regular public servants.

A division bench comprising Justice Krishna S. Dixit and Justice Ramchandra D. Huddar passed the order while partly allowing an appeal filed by K.B. Lokaesh and 1,130 licensed surveyors. The appellant surveyors had questioned the 2013 judgement of a single judge, who had dismissed their petitions.

The Bench noted that the Government enhanced fee for Tatkaal podi and pre-mutation sketch to₹600 collected enhanced fee from the beneficiaries of these works carried out by the licensed surveyors but kept the collected amount in a separate account without paying extra remuneration to the surveyors.

Meanwhile, the Bench directed the Government to ascertain the extra works done by the appellants during this period before paying them the additional remuneration but made it clear that any delay beyond three months in paying the remuneration would result in payment of one percent interest per month on the remuneration payable to each of them.