Judicial officers can opt for OPS within three months, Punjab tells HC

In a major development, Punjab has told the High Court here that judicial officers in the state would be given the option to choose the Old Pension Scheme (OPS).

Appearing before the Division Bench of Chief Justice Sheel Nagu and Justice Sumeet Goel, the state counsel submitted that judicial officers of the Punjab Higher Judicial Service and the district judiciary could opt for the OPS within three months from May 23.

They would be automatically covered under the New Defined Contributory Pension Scheme if they do not submit their option within the period.

“If the OPS is allowed to be opted for by the petitioners and all other similarly placed members of the higher judicial services of the state and as well as members of the district judiciary within three months counted from May 23, such judicial officers shall be covered by the OPS, or else, if no option is made, they would be deemed to have opted for the new scheme,” the state told the court.

The Bench was hearing a petition filed by 23 judicial officers. It was told that all petitioners were members of the higher judicial service in the state. They were being covered by the New Defined Contributory Pension Scheme which came into effect from January 1, 2004, even though their recruitment process commenced in July 2003.

Disposing of the matter, the Bench recorded the state’s undertaking and directed wide dissemination of the order to ensure maximum benefit for eligible officers and employees.