I do not quite share the anxiety of Mr Aboobucker that the MOF/GOI may wish to wait for Bankmen’s wage settlement. For one thing Bankmen’s wage settlement is immaterial to our Civil Appeals in Supreme Court as these CAs have emanated from writs filed in three HCs challenging discrimination among pensioners retired on different dates under the LIC Pension Rules, 1995. Also Bankmen's pension benefits and LIC Pension benefits are not comparable as they are not identical.
Even if it is considered that MOF/LIC want to wait for wage revisions for LIC employees, the fact of revision of wages with a minimum increase of 12.5% in wage components from 1/8/2012 will weaken their cases still further with the yawning gulf in pension drawn by old pensioners after 1/8/2012 compared to those retiring after this date getting widened and getting highlighted before the Supreme Court. Discrimination amounting to violation of Articles 14 & 16 of the Constitution will get more glaring after 1/8/2012 after wage revision if upgradation in chain is not effected.
So it is in the interest of MoF/GOI to have the matter decided well before the wage revisions if possible so that they will have a clear idea of their financial liability to the pensioners and family pensioners in the event of the CAs being decided in favour of the pensioners.
With greetings,
C H Mahadevan
Even if it is considered that MOF/LIC want to wait for wage revisions for LIC employees, the fact of revision of wages with a minimum increase of 12.5% in wage components from 1/8/2012 will weaken their cases still further with the yawning gulf in pension drawn by old pensioners after 1/8/2012 compared to those retiring after this date getting widened and getting highlighted before the Supreme Court. Discrimination amounting to violation of Articles 14 & 16 of the Constitution will get more glaring after 1/8/2012 after wage revision if upgradation in chain is not effected.
So it is in the interest of MoF/GOI to have the matter decided well before the wage revisions if possible so that they will have a clear idea of their financial liability to the pensioners and family pensioners in the event of the CAs being decided in favour of the pensioners.
With greetings,
C H Mahadevan
