FROM THE
HYDERABAD ASSOCIATION
A
clarification, an explanation and renewal of an Appeal.
Dear LIC Pensioner colleagues,
We from Hyderabad have crossed the first milestone as of
yesterday, in the path we chose to fight to protect the interests of our
Pensioner community. We filed a comprehensive Writ Petition in the Delhi High
Court. It is expected to come up for admission on Tuesday the 24th
May 2016.
We have been coming across well-meaning questions and doubts
raised by some colleague pensioners as to why we are plunging independently in
to this prohibitively expensive legal adventure. Similar questions in the past
were answered by me and Mr Mahadevan, in different contexts in the past but I
think it is necessary to touch upon some of the more relevant aspects of our
‘issues’ once again now.
You are all aware that different Federations and individuals
have been pursuing legal cases for many years in different High Courts for
revision of Pension and removal of anomalies and all those cases ended up in
Supreme Court of India and a Judgment was delivered on 31 March 2016.
In terms of the SC Judgment, all parties are required to
approach the High Court of Delhi and make fresh submissions.
Hyderabad Association had to enter the fray independently to
protect the interests of ALL THE PENSIONERS OF DIFFERENT GENERATIONS and secure
justice for all. It became necessary for the Hyderabad Association to enter
because, one Federation was compromising the interests of even the older
generation of Pensioners and completely disowned the later retirees and another
Federation controlled by one individual, with no accountability financially or
organizationally, has not been able to achieve anything at the Supreme Court. Their
arguments and their strategy in the case have been rejected by the Supreme
Court in the judgement dated 31 March 2016. It is not known how they wish to
fight for the Pensioners in future. Pursue their old (but rejected) line of
argument, make a full U turn or follow a via media path in their new attempt.
In the matter of interim relief payment also, when 20% ‘as
per the Judgment’ was ordered on 7 May 2015, both the Federations have badly
let down the Pensioners as a class. One accepted a small portion of what was
due that too for some of his members (as he chose to own or disown) leaving the
entire eligible community in the lurch and another watched the joke of LIC‘s
compliance drama without a murmur. It was left to the Hyderabad Association, in
collaboration with the Chandigarh HC Petitioners, to fight doggedly before the
Supreme Court of India and secure the Order on 31 March 2016, for payment of
40% as IR, to ALL SIMILARLY PLACED PENSIONERS and as per Pension Rules. Any
credit of this relief secured, in all fairness, should go to the Hyderabad
Association. If anybody has doubts, I can produce evidence from the Supreme
Court’s Records of Proceedings of various dates.
We hired the services of the best possible team – most
expensive too. We had to do so anticipating the level of opposition from LIC
and the Government. We need also to take care of possible conflicting
approaches to the issues from other players in the field even from the same
side.
So we have a lot of ground to cover. We are working
relentlessly, honestly with integrity and commitment. We need your support. We
deserve it. Please ask questions and satisfy yourself on who is doing what. If
you are convinced about what is stated in the above lines, please donate
liberally to our Legal Expenses Fund and persuade others known to you, to do
likewise.
WE SHALL NOT LET YOU DOWN