Delay in pension arrear disbursal: HC withholds salaries of Gurdaspur DEO, DTO among four officials

The bank officials whose salaries have been ordered to be withheld are the senior manager of the District Shopping Complex branch, Ranjit Avenue, Amritsar, and the branch manager of the Bank of India, Gurdaspur

The Punjab and Haryana high court (HC) has ordered the withholding of salaries of the district education officer (DEO), elementary, and district treasury officer (DTO) of Gurdaspur, besides two bank officials, over a delay in settling the pension arrears of an education officer from the district.

The bank, on the other hand, claimed that due to certain non-compliance by the Gurdaspur DTO, the disbursing agency/bank was unable to release the arrears. (HT)

The bank officials whose salaries have been ordered to be withheld are the senior manager of the District Shopping Complex branch, Ranjit Avenue, Amritsar, and the branch manager of the Bank of India, Gurdaspur.

The order was passed by justice Kuldeep Tiwari on a plea filed by Jagdish Raj Arora, an octogenarian who approached the high court in 2023 seeking the release of pension arrears due to his deceased wife, Sudarshan Kumari, who had retired as block primary education officer, Gurdaspur-II.

He told the court that his wife’s pension arrears had remained unpaid since 2007. Despite the petitioner making all possible and earnest efforts to secure the arrears, the pension-disbursing authority and the disbursing agency had been passing the buck between themselves, the court was told.

The government told the court that a letter was issued in September 2012 by the office of the Accountant General, Punjab, but it was not implemented by Bank of India officials. The claim could be redressed only by the bank, the government claimed.

The bank, on the other hand, claimed that due to certain non-compliance by the Gurdaspur DTO, the disbursing agency/bank was unable to release the arrears.

‘Octogenarian compelled to run from pillar to post’

The court observed that the petitioner, who is in the twilight of his life, had unfortunately been compelled to run from pillar to post to secure his rightful due. “The continued hardship suffered by the petitioner is attributable to the lackadaisical and indolent approach adopted by the authorities concerned. Significantly, the respondents have, till date, failed to satisfy this court as to any legal impediment preventing release of the arrears of pension to the petitioner,” it observed.

The court directed the secretaries of the school education and finance departments to ensure that the DEO (elementary) and DTO of Gurdaspur do not draw their salaries without its prior permission. The deputy general manager, Bank of India, was also directed to ensure that the two bank officials do not draw their salaries without the court’s permission.

Seeking compliance by November 26, the court also directed that the order be sent to the two state government secretaries and the DGM, Bank of India, for meticulous compliance.