Karnataka HC directs state government to pay revised pensions to former VC's

BENGALURU: Based on a government order which was issued on December 24, 2009. The high court had directed the government to pay Prof SN Hegde, former vice-chancellor of University of Mysore (UoM), and Prof VB Coutinho, former vice-chancellor, Gulbarga University, and 11 others revised pension with effect from January 1, 2006.

As per University Grants Commission (UGC) scales, the state has been directed to continue paying pension. The arrears which are dated from January 1, 2006 have been directed to be paid in four equal instalments of four months each, which will be starting from June 1, 2019.

The petitioners, who have either worked in Bangalore or Mysore University and retired before the 1st of January, 2006 cut-off date, said to have claimed that in the country 18 states have extended the pension-revision benefit to pre-January 1, 2006 retirees.

Justice R Devdas had observed, "No justifiable reason or rationale in fixing the cut-off date has been provided by the state except for pointing out the effective date fixed in the December 24, 2009 notification and the central government's March 11, 2010 communication. The artificial classification by fixing a cut-off date is nothing but creating a class within a class, which is not permissible."

As advised by the central government, on December 24, 2009, the government had accepted the UGC scheme for pay scales, pension and other benefits for university teachers. What came into force from January 1, 2006 which was challenged by the petitioners.