FEDERATION
OF RETD LIC CLASS I OFFICERS’ ASSOCIATIONS
President:
S.K. Kapahi Gen
Secretary’s Office:
Gen
Secretary: G.N. Sridharan 7/4,
II Cross St, Karpagam Garden
Adyar, Chennai 600020 Date:
9th May 2015
OUR CASE IN SUPREME COURT
- A STEP FORWARD AT LAST!
The Additional Solicitor General appearing on behalf of Union of India drew the attention of the Bench to their SLP against the judgement of Rajasthan HC. The Court ordered issue of notice on the said SLP, and directed that the Respondents to file their Counter/Affidavits, and posted the matter to 23rd Sept 2015.
It was only at this juncture, in the context of long adjournment and possible delay because of UOI's intervention, our Senior Counsel pointed out that the Government's SLP did not relate to the Delhi HC order where we had raised the issue of the DR Anomaly affecting pensioners. It was also mentioned on our behalf that while deposits were made in the case of petitioners before Jaipur HC and Punjab & Haryana HC, nothing had been done by LIC pursuant to the judgement of the Delhi HC in the Writ Petition filed by our Federation. The argument was aptly supported by our Counsel Shri Garg. No other counsel pleaded for or against it.
The Court then said that there will be no stay in any of the cases, and passed orders directing LIC to pay employees, as an interim measure, 20% of the amounts due to them till date, within six weeks (which time stipulation will end on 18th June 2015.
There has been some delay in getting copy of the order this time, we are sure that the order of the SC with direction of interim relief definitely means that we have got out of the rut and taken a positive step forward. For the past three or four years, unwarranted and unfair propaganda was being made and accusations hurled that our Federation was not for upgradation of pension when, in fact, we have repeatedly made it loud and clear that we stand for upgradation though, it is true, we expressed reservation on the prospects of point-to-point re-fixation of pensions, and the modus operandi of getting it through judiciary or over-reliance on the 2010 verdict of Jaipur HC . However, it is good that staunch propagandists of the said kind of upgradation themselves climbed down to expect and express the same in the form of any formulae like percentage related to periodical wage revision for the in-service workforce. Pensioners, baring a few individuals with damaged vision will be able to see the WRITING ON THE WALL.
COUNTINUING JOURNEY
It must also be said that when appeals are taken up in Sept 2015, we shall certainly have scope for demanding updation for all, and our Federation will not lag behind others in impressing and taking steps for the same. All efforts will be made to take the pension quantum up but we may follow workable and viable path. The strategy that we have will be discussed internally amongst our leadership and will be spelt out in due course. In the meantime, we will be in touch with our CO on the action that gets taken on the SC order.
It is a matter of gratification for our organisation to have made sure of a solution to the major issues confronting the pensioners. We sincerely thank all members for their kind support and co-operation.
With Greetings and all good wishes for further march in the months to come.
(GN Sridharan)
Gen Secretary