Panjab University’s Board of Finance (BoF) meeting, which is set to be held on October 8, will consider the recommendations of the varsity’s pension committee to re-fix the pension of employees who retired between December 1, 2011, and February 7, 2021, as per amendment of Regulation 4.3 in Punjab in light of a judgment passed in the Punjab and Haryana high court.
This pertains to those who were not petitioners in the original case and will lead to the financial liability of approximately ₹16.47 lakh per month.
As per the orders, the court had observed that the pensioners form a homogeneous class in itself and the respondents have failed to put forth any circumstance to justify the classification and say that the petitioners, who stood retired prior to the date of notification of amended Regulation 4.3 on February 8, 2021, are not entitled to re-fixation of their pension.
The court had further observed that the artificial distinction based on the cut-off date is not based on any rationale. The petitioners who retired before February 8, 2021 are entitled to the benefit of re-fixation of their pension. However, the arrears of pension as per fresh computation prior to February 8, 2021 are not admissible.
While the BoF had taken note of this and re-fixed the pension of the petitioners, the non-petitioner retirees also requested the PU authorities to revise their pension. The matter went to the PU pension committee for consideration, which observed that since the court has given an ‘in-principle’ decision to the interpretation of the Panjab University Pension Regulation amendment of clause 4.3, the benefit should be given to the non- petitioners as well. This has now been put before the Board of Finance.
{{/usCountry}}While the BoF had taken note of this and re-fixed the pension of the petitioners, the non-petitioner retirees also requested the PU authorities to revise their pension. The matter went to the PU pension committee for consideration, which observed that since the court has given an ‘in-principle’ decision to the interpretation of the Panjab University Pension Regulation amendment of clause 4.3, the benefit should be given to the non- petitioners as well. This has now been put before the Board of Finance.
{{/usCountry}}Notional annual increment to pensioners to be taken up
The BoF meeting will also take up the issue of granting notional annual increment on retirement for the purpose of calculation of pension. This comes after a recommendation by the PU vice-chancellor to adopt the notification issued by the Punjab government after a judgement was passed by the Punjab and Haryana high court regarding this.
Under this, benefits of one notional annual increment will be granted to all pensioners who have completed 12 months of service on the date of their retirement for re-fixation of their pension. However, arrears of pensionary benefits shall be payable to the pensioners only from the date of filing of their respective writ petitions.
Other agendas that will be taken up in the meeting include restructuring of pharmacy cadre posts on the pattern of Punjab government, the audited consolidated balance sheet of PU for 2023-24, and the status of recommendations made by the principal director of audit (central).