Budh Ram and Ors. v. State of Haryana and Ors.
Background
The appellants claimed they were similarly placed as the appellants in an earlier Supreme Court decision, Piyara Singh and Another Etc. v. State of Haryana & Ors. Etc. (order dated 17.11.2016), where the Court had ruled that a 12% increase in a particular benefit was to be granted cumulatively from the year 2000 onward, without any cut. Since their facts were undisputedly identical to that earlier case, they sought the same relief from the State of Haryana.
Decision Breakdown
The Supreme Court held that the ruling in Piyara Singh applied equally to these appellants, since their case was undisputedly on the same footing. It allowed the appeals to the extent of directing that the same 12% cumulative increase from 2000, without cut, be granted to the appellants here as well, while clarifying that the appellants would not be entitled to statutory benefits for the period covered by any delay on their part. All pending applications were disposed of with no order as to costs.
Lesson Learnt
When a court has already settled a legal principle in one case, persons in an identical factual position can rely on that precedent to get the same relief without needing to re-litigate the underlying issue from scratch.