Retiree gets pension arrears after 22 years

Thiruvananthapuram: After a wait of 22 years, justice was finally delivered to a 76-year-old retired health department employee. G Sankaranarayana Pillai, who retired from the state health department as a technical assistant in 1996 received his pension arrears of Rs 15,32,705 after a very long legal battle. Pillai had previously worked as a health inspector at the Municipal Common Services from 12 January 1961 to 12 September 1984. A monthly sum was collected from his salary as pension contribution during his service health inspector, but only benefits from the health department were provided to him at the time of retirement. This prompted Pillai to file a case at the high court.
The division bench of the high court which considered the case observed that the applicant had been paying pension contribution and directed the government to compute the contribution that was paid by Pillai during his 23-year service as a health inspector. The case was later forwarded to Kerala Administrative Tribunal.
“The grievance raised by the applicant regarding the rejected claim suggested that Rule 20 Part III KSR was amended in 2001 but he had retired from service prior to the amendment. This eventually revoked the initial stance of the division bench which concluded that persons like the applicant who retired before February 2, 2011 (the date from which the amendment came into effect) from Municipal Common Service would be eligible for acquiring pensionary benefits. All this resulted in the verdict coming in the favour of Pillai,” contended advocate Vazhuthacaud Narendran who represented Pillai in the case.
The KAT order was issued in 2017 by the member Benny Gervacis. But, the health department issued orders accepting the verdict and allotting arrears only last month.
In addition to arrears, his monthly pension has also been commuted to include the 23 years service he had rendered in the health service.