Thirty-two years as a peon, then nearly ten years waiting for a pension. The Supreme Court has pulled up the Uttar Pradesh government over the retired peon’s pension delay, calling pension a deferred payment for services already rendered and not a bounty or charity.
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New Delhi: Shocked that the Uttar Pradesh government had not paid a peon his retiral dues for almost ten years after he retired, the Supreme Court has asked the Chief Secretary to report on the delay, the officers responsible and the compensation the State proposes to pay [Jagdish Prasad Tripathi v. State of UP through its Principal Secretary and Others].
The Special Leave Petition by the retired employee was before a Bench of Justice K V Viswanathan and Justice Arun Palli, which was sharply critical of the State.
Thirty-two years of service, then a decade of waiting
The petitioner worked for the State as a peon for 32 years and retired in 2016. According to the petition, he then waited close to ten years for his pension, and a trip to the High Court in 2018 brought no relief.
The State had held back the dues citing a service-related gap. The Bench was told that the legitimate dues and arrears were released only after the Supreme Court stepped in.
The Bench called the delay a grave wrong to a long-serving employee, and said:
“Grave injustice has been done to the petitioner.”
“We are not just taken aback but we are totally aghast that this can happen to an employee who was given dedicated service 32 years.”
Pension, the Court added, “is neither a bounty or a charity but is a deferred payment for services already rendered”. It also noted that the department had shown no concern for the petitioner’s cause.
What the State must now explain
The Chief Secretary is to file a report covering why the delay happened, which officers were responsible and what compensation the State government proposes to pay. The next hearing is on January 4, 2027.
Beyond this one pension
The Court has long regarded pension as a vested right earned through service, not a favour from the employer. By seeking accountability from the officers concerned, along with compensation, the Bench has indicated that delay in releasing retiral dues is more than an administrative slip.
For retired employees caught in long pension disputes, the order is a reminder that the State’s duty does not end once arrears are finally paid.
Case Title: Jagdish Prasad Tripathi v. State of UP through its Principal Secretary and Others
Bench: Justice K V Viswanathan and Justice Arun Palli, Supreme Court of India
Next hearing: January 4, 2027