HC notice to J&K admn, Waqf Board over employees being denied pensions
Employees claim that they have not received their pensions since BJP leader Darakshan Andrabi was appointed board chairperson
The Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh high court has issued notices to the administration and J&K Waqf Board on a petition about the board has denying pension to its employees retiring in the past over two years, particularly after the current chairperson took charge.
Justice Sanjay Dhar, hearing a petition that 40 employees who retired after Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Darakshan Andrabi was appointed board chairperson in March 2022, had not been receiving their pensions, issued notices to commissioner secretary revenue, chairperson and chief executive officer of J&K Waqf Board..
“Issue notice to the respondents subject to taking of necessary steps by the petitioners within one week,” the order issued on August 21 read.
The court also asked the respondents to meanwhile consider processing the cases of the petitioners and listed the case for October 7.
“In the meantime, the respondents shall consider the processing of case of the petitioners for grant of pension on the analogy of similarly situated employees,” it said.
The retired employees and their kin have been going pillar to post for the release of their pensions. In July many employees and their families held protests and also appealed through the media demanding their pensionary benefits.
The employees were forced to approach court earlier this month after they submitted representations with the concerned authorities which were allegedly not disposed of in accordance with law.
The petition read that the petitioners’ rights guaranteed under Article 14,21 & 300-A of the Constitution have also been infringed upon.
It stated that the Supreme Court has laid down that the right to pension is a right to property guaranteed under the Constitution and infringement of the same amounts to violation of human rights.
