JUDGMENT : There is delay of 195 days in preferring the appeal. 2. On going through the application (I.A. No. 4911/2018) for condonation of delay, we are satisfied that the appellant was prevented by sufficient cause in preferring the appeal within time. We accordingly condone the delay in filing the appeal. The appeal is admitted. 3. Writ petitioners, who are the Respondents before us, have been working as Correspondence Clerks with the Road Construction Department of Government of Jharkhand. In the writ petition out of which this appeal arises, they claimed parity in their pay scale with those of Accounts Clerks. It is their case that they have been performing the same duty and were earlier getting benefits equivalent to those of the Accounts Clerks. 4. Learned First Court has, in substance, remanded the matter to the authorities to consider the case of the writ petitioners for grant of pay scale of Rs. 4500-7000 in the event they were appointed prior to 09th July 2004 in accordance with law. That is the scale applicable to Accounts Clerks. State is apprehensive that such direction may be construed to mean that the writ petitioners would have to be treated at par with Accounts Clerks as part of the same cadre. But that is not what the learned First Court has directed. Authorities have to consider first as to whether writ petitioners ought to be treated at par with Accounts Clerks as part of the same or similar cadre. Upon determination of that issue, in the event writ petitioners were appointed prior to 09th July 2004, then only, their claim for grant of pay scale of Rs. 4500-7000/- shall be considered. Needless to add, this exercise shall be carried out by the authorities upon giving opportunity of hearing to the writ petitioners. 5. Appeal stands disposed of in the above terms. Connected application also stands disposed of as we have disposed of the main appeal.