Soldiers’ pension row reaches HC

Delhi High Court will decide if the Centre is justified in denying “one rank one pension” to retired defence and government employees, numbering about 40 lakh, reports Harish V Nair.

Delhi High Court will decide if the Centre is justified in denying “one rank one pension” to retired defence and government employees, numbering about 40 lakh.

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After around 5,000 ex-servicemen, including decorated war veterans, returned their medals to the President at protest demonstrations at Jantar Mantar, the personnel have knocked on the doors of the court seeking justice.

Justice S Ravindra Bhat will on Tuesday hear a petition filed by a former army major and a retired central government official. They have challenge the notification that has created disparity among the pensioners by dividing them into four pay bands.

“Defence personnel of same rank and same length of service must draw same pension, irrespective of the date of retirement. As per the notification for the implementation of the recommendation of the Sixth Pay Commission, those who retired prior to January 2006 are at a very big disadvantage from those who retired after it as the government is using different formulae for computing their pension”, said lawyer Arun Maitri representing the retired personnel.

The petition says that if pension is paid for past satisfactory services rendered and to avoid destitution in old age as well as a social welfare or socio-economic justice measure, differential treatment for those retiring prior to a certain date and those retiring subsequently will amount to injustice.

With the pay commissions increasing the pay of armed forces and security personnel every 10 years, the gap between the pension received by those who retired before the implementation of the respective commissions widened.