HC tells Telangana govt to review decision on pension payment

Hyderabad, Apr 17 (PTI): Expressing concern over

the deferment of pension for retired employees, the Telangana High Court on Friday asked the state government if it can reconsider its decision.

In view of dwindling revenues due to the ongoing lockdown in the state, the government implemented deferment of full salaries of government employees and pensions for retired people beginning March, payable on April 1.

Accordingly, all pensioners, except Class-IV pensioners, would be paid only 50 per cent of their entitlements, a government order had said.

A division bench ofChiefJusticeRaghvendra Singh Chauhan and Justice Amarnath Goud was hearing a petition filed by the Telangana Government Pensioners Joint Action Committee requesting the court to set aside the government order that allows deferment of pensions.

Expressing concern, the bench asked the advocate general as to what the government plan is with regard to the release of full pensions and wanted to know when the government would take a decision on the issue.

The AG informed the court that the intention of the government is not to cut the pension, but only deferment as the financial situation is in dire straits due to the coronavirus lockdown and the government is reviewing the situation from time to time.

Chikkudu Prabhakar, advocate for the petitioner, argued that four lakh pensioners would be impacted by the government decision and it would be difficult for them to meet the expenses in case of medical emergency, if they do not receive their entitlements in full.

The court posted the matter for further hearing on April 24.