“The Management is well aware of the refrain of the AIIPA stressing the need to find an early solution to the twin issues of increased ex-gratia to pre-1986 retirees and full neutralization of dearness relief for August 1997 retirees”. So says the letter dated 10th June2013 of the General Secretary of AIIPA to the Management of LIC.
The letter also says the top officials of L I C indicated that the Government was favourably disposed to look into the increased ex-gratia to pre-1986 retirees and full neutralization of Dearness relief to pre August 1997 retirees along with the gamut of other issues.
Sri Natarajan further says, ”Our fond hopes for settlement along with wage revision for in service employees vanished into the air”. The gamut of issues and how they are vanished into air are only known to Sri Natarajan because transparency is an age old policy and not a virtue at present. The AIIPA has been representing to find solutions without need to wait for judicial verdict as only legal nuances and the merits of the issues were being agitated upon. This means, according to Sri Natarajan, the issues now engaging the attention of the Rajasthan High Court and the Supreme Court have no merit. It is obvious that Shri Nartarajan is oblivious of the Interim order of the Supreme Court dated 14/11/2011 and clarificatory order of the same court on 17th Oct 12 on the basis of the main prayer before the Supreme Court.
L I C prayed for an interim order staying on the operation of the final judgment dated 18/8/2011 of the Rajasthan High Court dismissing the review petitions filed by L I C. LIC further requested the Supreme court to confirm this order in the final verdict on special leave petition. The Supreme Court ordered for payment of amount due to the employees on 14/11/2011.The amount due was clarified and date from which they are entitled to payment were stated in the clarificatory order of Supreme court dated 17/10/12.
It is not pertinent for Sri Natarajan to point now about the issues in which the resolution was based. According to him:“The resolution of the LIC Board in Nov 2001 clearly indicates mind set of the Management for the grant of Uniform rate of Dearness relief both for Pre Aug 1997 and post July 1997 retirees.
He then demands payment of Dearness relief to pre Aug 1997 from 1st Aug 1997 and not from their date of retirement. Let us see what the Division bench of Rajasthan High Court has observed on 21/1/2011 while dismissing the appeal of LIC on Justice MN Bhandari’s Judgment. It says,”The Board of LIC, who is the appellant before us against the judgment of the learned single judge, had itself taken a decision to remove the disparities and the discrimination with regard to the payment of DA and pension to the retired employees under its resolution dated 24/11/2001,which was in public interest. It is clear from this that the resolution of the Board was for removing Anomaly in the DA formula and also up gradation of Pension.
The understanding of Sri Natarajan has become warped and awry with too much understanding of the mind set of the Management.
Now, Sri Natrajan please answer these questions:
1) Do the order of the Supreme court on 4/11/2011 and the clarificatory order Dated 17/10/12 in any way affect the order dated 12/10/2010 of Sri MN Bhandari.
2) Where do you stand now? On the side of LIC or L I C pensioners who have steeped into late 70’s and about to reach early 80’s. They know the Nuance of Legal Terminology and are able to see clearly the final victory in near future. This will happen in spite of your occasional pronouncements.
