In a significant ruling, the Kerala High Court has instructed the state government to take a fresh look at extending revised pension benefits to thousands of Kerala State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) employees who retired before January 1, 2022. The court has set a strict three-month deadline for the government to pass appropriate orders after hearing the affected pensioners.
Court Quashes Government Orders Citing Financial Burden
A bench presided over by Justice T R Ravi issued this directive while disposing of petitions filed by the 'Transport Pensioners Friend' organisation and other retired KSRTC employees. The petitioners had sought revision of their pensionary benefits, bringing them in line with the enhanced pensions granted to other state government employees.
The court's order specifically quashed two earlier government decisions that had rejected the pensioners' pleas. The first rejection came via an order dated May 16, 2023, where the state cited the additional financial burden it would place on the cash-strapped KSRTC and the state exchequer. A second order of a similar nature, dated February 5, 2024, which rejected requests from other retired employees' associations, was also set aside by the bench.
The Core of the Pension Disparity
The heart of the legal battle lies in a revision implemented by the KSRTC itself. On July 8, 2022, the corporation issued an order revising and increasing the pension payable to its employees who retired on or after January 1, 2022. This created a clear disparity, leaving those who retired just before this cutoff date without the enhanced benefits.
The retired employees argued that this was an arbitrary cut-off date that unfairly discriminated against them. They contended that they had served the corporation for decades and deserved parity in pension revision, especially when similar benefits were extended to other government pensioners.
A New Hearing and a Three-Month Deadline
Justice Ravi's bench found the ground of financial burden insufficient to outrightly reject the pensioners' legitimate claims. The court emphasized the need for a fair reconsideration.
The High Court has now directed the state government to reconsider the entire issue afresh. Crucially, it has mandated that the petitioners or their representatives, along with the KSRTC management, must be given a proper hearing before any fresh order is passed. The entire process must be completed within three months from the date of the court order.
This ruling brings renewed hope to a large section of retired KSRTC staff who have been fighting for pension parity. The ball is now back in the state government's court to reassess the matter with an open mind, balancing fiscal concerns with the welfare of its retired employees.
