 Early Times Report
JAMMU, Dec 17: The Central Govt Pensioners' Welfare Association Jammu ( CGPWA) today celebrated the 43rd National Pensioners' Day with demand to amend Terms of Reference ( ToR )of 8th Central Pay Commission (CPC) and withdrawal of draconian "Validation of the Central Civil Services (Pension) Rules and the Principles for Expenditure on Pension Liabilities from the Consolidated Fund of India", part of the Finance Act 2025, of which it was a part.
The Chief Secretary Atal Dulloo, who was the Chief Guest of the function, however, said that the Finance Minister Nirmala Sitaraman has made it clear in the Parliament on 2nd December that On December 2, 2025, pension will not be excluded from the 8th CPC's purview.
The event was presided over by the President of the CGPWA, Kuldeep Khoda. Among others present on the occasion included Dr Ashok Bhan, Ashok Angurana and B R Sharma.
The Pensioners of Jammu and elsewhere are worried over the amendment in CCS (Pension) Rules, retrospectively validating differential treatment of pensioners based on date of retirement negating the principle held by the Constitution Bench of the Supreme Court in D S Nakara that all pensioners constituted a homogeneous class and the State cannot create a "class within a class" of pensioners. But now the Govt has by an enacted law, overrides this principle of equality, verbal or general statements made on the floor of the House notwithstanding. This suspicion of pensioners of depriving some pensioners of the benefit of 8th CPC based on date of retirement, has been strengthened by the omission of "pensioners" in the ToR. No verbal assurance, however well-intentioned, can amend or dilute a statute along with inclusion of revision of pension of existing pensioners in the ToR of the CPC. The amendment which violates Article 14 is already under challenge in the Apex Court. |
