Chandigarh Bench of CAT directs DOT to enhance pension of 9 retired employees

Tribune News Service

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Chandigarh, August 27

A Chandigarh Bench of the Central Administrative Tribunal (CAT) has directed Secretary, Ministry of Communication, Department of Telecommunication and Information Technology (DOT), to refix the pension of 9 retired employees at 50 per cent of the minimum pay in the pay band-2 (Rs 7,450-11,500) plus grade, pay Rs 4,600 corresponding to the pre-revised pay scale (Rs 7,450-11,500) i.e. at Rs 9,230, with effect from January 1, 2006.

The Bench has also directed to extend consequential benefits in line with the terms of Bangalore Bench order dated June 18, 2018, within two months from the date of receipt of copy of this order. It also quashed the rejection orders of the departments from November 19, 2018, to July 29, 2019, terming them illegal, unjust, discriminatory and against Article 14 of the Constitution.

Nine retired employees of the Department of Communication had filed the application

under Section 19 of the Administrative Tribunals Act through advocate Manohar Lal.

They had prayed before the Bench to issue the directions to the respondents to fix the pension of the applicants as per the above clause and to extend consequential benefits accordingly in line with the terms of the Bangalore Bench order.

The employees said at the time of their retirement their pay scale was Rs 6,500-10,500 working as chief telegraphy master/chief section supervisor during the period starting June 30, 1993, to May 31, 1997. The applicants’ pension was sanctioned at Rs 8,145 each with grade pay of Rs 4,200 with effect from January 1, 2006.

The Bangalore Bench of the tribunal in its order dated June 18, 2018 had held that the employees who retired in the pre-revised pay scale of Rs 6,500-10,500 as on January 1, 2006, with grade pay of Rs 4,200 will be granted pension with grade pay of Rs 4,600 corresponding to the pre-revised scale of Rs 7,450-11500 with effect from January 1, 2006, which works out to be Rs 9,230. The applicants made representations to the department to raise their pension under the 6th Central Pay Commission, but the respondents rejected their representations The employees said the order was wrong, unjust and discriminatory under Article 14 of the Constitution.

After hearing the arguments the Tribunal quashed the rejection letters issued by department, and directed the respondents to refix the pension of the applicants as per th abovesaid clause. It also told it to extend consequential benefits accordingly in line with the terms of the Bangalore Bench order within two months from the date of receipt of copy of this order.