Supreme Court Upholds Equality for Pensioners in Allowance Enhancements

The Supreme Court ruled that pensioners must receive equal allowance increases as serving employees to counter inflation. It dismissed Kerala's appeal, asserting that both groups face inflation equally. The judgment emphasized non-arbitrariness and equality as per Article 14, highlighting a past government action discriminating against pensioners.

In a landmark decision, the Supreme Court has affirmed that the State cannot differentiate between serving employees and pensioners concerning allowance enhancements to counter inflation. This ruling, delivered by a bench with Justices Manoj Misra and Prasanna B Varale, strengthens the right to equality for retirees.

The bench dismissed appeals from Kerala and KSRTC, stressing that inflation affects both active and retired employees equally. The judgment, penned by Justice Mishra, underscores that equality is opposed to arbitrariness, aligning with the rule of law.

The case arose from a disputed 2021 Government Order, where the Kerala government sanctioned a 14% increase in Dearness Allowance for serving KSRTC employees while limiting Dearness Relief for pensioners to 11%. This prompted a legal challenge, eventually reaching the Supreme Court.

(With inputs from agencies.)