Issue GO to release pension arrears to retired STC staff: HC

By Express News Service  |   Published: 27th December 2017 02:57 AM  |  

CHENNAI: The Madras High Court has directed the State government to issue a government order (GO) for the disbursement of arrears of pension to retired employees of transport corporations forthwith.  The payment should be made to the employees, as per the procedure hitherto followed, a division bench of justices S Manikumar and R  Suresh Kumar said on December 22.

Originally, R Mayandi Servai (82), a retired TNSTC employee, based in Madurai, sent a post card to another bench of justices M V Muralidaran and N Seshasayee, when they were sitting at the vacation bench in Madurai on May 16 last. He claimed that the benefits due to him had not been settled even after 24 years after retirement. There were 100s of similarly-placed employees. Taking a serious note of the post card, Justice Muralidaran had directed the High Court registry to treat it as a suo-motu PIL. Thereafter, the case was transferred to the principal seat of the High Court in Chennai and posted before the present bench.

When the matter came up on December 22, Advocate-General N Vijay Narayan submitted that in spite of heavy financial crisis faced, action was being taken to release an advance of `175  crore towards settlement of remaining statutory dues to the retired employees of State Transport Undertakings. Necessary GO would be issued shortly, he said.

The bench noted that as ordered earlier, `379 crore ought to have been sanctioned and disbursed by December 15 last as the second instalment towards arrears to the retired employees under various heads. However, `175 crore alone is sought to be sanctioned, due to financial crunch.

The AG submitted that as the Transport Minister was out of station, the GO could not be issued immediately, but assured that the same would be issued forthwith, enabling disbursement of `175 crore towards settlement of the statutory dues, to the retired staff by December 26. The matter has been posted for further hearing on January 3.

Suo motu PIL from a post card

R Mayandi Servai (82), a retired TNSTC staff, sent a post card to a bench of Justices on May 16 last. He claimed that benefits due to him had not been settled even 24 years after retirement. There were 100s of similarly-placed staff. Taking a serious note of the post card, Justice Muralidaran directed the HC registry to treat it as a suo-motu PIL.