Old Pension Scheme 2023: Allahabad High Court of Uttar Pradesh has once again given an important decision in the interest of employees.
The High Court has reinstated the old pension scheme for the accountants selected before April 1, 2005 and has ordered the state government to give the old pension benefit to the accountants. Accepting the petition, the High Court considered the petitioners entitled to the old pension and ordered the state government to provide the benefit of the old pension.
Employees selected before April 2004 entitled to OPS
Actually, a petition was filed on behalf of Lekhpal Lekhpal Association and others that their selection was done before 2005, hence they should also get the benefit of old pension. On which the advocate appearing on behalf of the government argued that the selection took place after 2005. On behalf of the state government, Additional Advocate General Neeraj Tripathi argued that the petitioners were appointed on or after April 1, 2005, hence the old pension scheme is applicable to them.
It doesn’t happen. At the same time, the petitioners argued that their selection and training session took place in 2003-04 and the training was completed in August 2004, but due to the state government, they were appointed. If there had been no delay in appointment by the Government after completing the training, the petitioners would have been within the prescribed period for old pension.
Orders given to government to provide OPS benefits
During this time, the petitioners have also demanded to adjust the deduction from salary under the new pension scheme in GPF under OPS. After hearing both the parties, Allahabad High Court while giving its verdict ordered to restore the old pension scheme for the accountants selected before April 1, 2005 and considering them entitled for OPS, also ordered the state government to provide the benefit of old pension.
The court has given this order regarding the accountants selected in the year 2003-2004 in the recruitment of 1999 to 2000. This decision has been given by the single bench of Justice Saral Srivastava while accepting the petition filed by Lekhpal Association and others.
Teachers also have hope for OPS
On the other hand, the Basic Education Department has sought details of those personnel appointed on or after April 1, 2005, whose advertisement for appointment was published before April 1, 2005. In such a situation, there is hope among the teachers and employees that like the Centre, they Old pension option will also be available. Joint Education Director Ganesh Kumar has sent a letter in this regard to all BSAs. However, they have stated that specific BTC 2004 appointed candidates should not be included.
