Provide pension to the temporary employees: HC

Chennai, July 25 (UNI) The Madras High Court has ordered the Tamil Nadu Government to pay the pension arrears from the date of retirement to two retired Assistant Grade employees who were not regularised by the government during their service.

Hearing a petition of two Assistant Grade employees working with the State Government, Mr Justice Paul Vasantakumar also directed the State Government to calculate the arrears amount of the two employees from the date of their retirement and pay it within three months of receiving of the Court Order.

The petitioners--S Subramaniam and R Sankaran, had submitted various representations to authorities to regularise their services in the Cadre of Office Assistants during their service. However all their requests were rejected on the ground that the first person had no sufficient qualifications and the second person had completed the superannuation of age.

The Judge said the employees had served the government for more than 30 years and were eligible for the benefit even if they were not regularised.

He also observed that the Tamil Nadu Pensions Rule 1978, made it clear that even if a government servant was appointed temporarily and was holding the post for more than 10 years in a pensionable establishment, pension had to be sanctioned provided his retirement was after 1969.

Referring to various cases, the Court also observed that the sanction of the pension to a retired government employee was not a charity but a reward for his past services as held by the Supreme Court.

UNI