HC relief for employees who retired between 2006 and 2011

CHANDIGARH: The Punjab and Haryana high court has held that retirees of the Punjab government for the period between 2006 and 2011 with 25 years of service too are eligible for the full pension as recommended by 5th Punjab Pay Commission.

The high court bench of justice AG Masih quashed the government notification of December 2015 in which citing poor financial condition, it had notified that revised pension would be given to those retiring after December 2011. It was in 2011 that government had qualified service period from 33 years to 25 years for entitlement of full pension. However, those retiring between January 2006 and December 2011 were left out of notification.

The affected employees challenged the decision in the high court which gave the verdict in their favour. The state had preferred an appeal in which the division bench asked the state to reconsider the decision. In 2015, the government reiterated its decision citing financial constraints, a decision challenged again by the employees alleging that classification was not reasonable.

The government had cited an earlier assessment stating that in 2011, the financial burden to extend benefit to these employees was assessed at ₹932 crore.

The court had again this year sought information on actual liability as employees had suggested that number was very small. According to latest information, it was stated that in all 73 departments, the government liability for 2,089 retirees will be ₹28 crore.

While giving four months time to implement the judgment, the court observed that the government had proceeded with an intention to just carry out the formality with a premeditated and pre-determined mind to reiterate its earlier decision without actually delving into a serious exercise.