The Supreme Court has ruled that Railway employees are equivalent to Central government staff, giving them the same rights to approach the Central Administrative Tribunal (CAT) for service-related disputes. The judgment was delivered by Justices Dipankar Datta and Satish Chandra Sharma, who clarified that railway-specific service rules do not change their status as civil servants under the Union government.
The case arose from an appeal by Bency John, who joined the Railways in 1990 and later moved to the Kerala State Electricity Board. His prior railway service was initially counted for pay and benefits, but in 2012 the Railway Board cancelled this, arguing that railway service could not be treated as Central government service.
The Supreme Court rejected this view, stressing that the Railway Board functions as part of the Government of India and that service under it is essentially Central government service. The bench explained that civil posts involve a clear employer-employee relationship where the State controls appointments, pay, and disciplinary actions.
The ruling overturned a Kerala High Court division bench decision that had denied railway staff the same status as other Central Government employees. It restored the earlier single judge’s order in favour of John and directed that all benefits be extended to him within three months.
This judgment ensures that railway employees enjoy the same protections, rights, and access to grievance mechanisms as other Central government staff, reinforcing fairness in employment practices across one of India’s largest civilian workforces.
