Court comes to rescue of 83-year-old pensioner

The Madras High Court Bench here has come to the rescue of an 83-year-old pensioner by restraining Assistant Treasury Officer at Peraiyur near here from deducting Rs.1,000 from the octogenarian’s monthly pension for recovering Rs.2.08 lakh reportedly paid in excess.

No notice

Justice D. Hariparanthaman stayed the operation of an order passed by the Assistant Treasury Office on October 15 after the writ petitioner N. Rajagopal claimed that the order was passed without notice to him and after deducting Rs.1,000 from the pension amount paid to him in the month of October.

The petitioner’s counsel RM. Arun Swaminathan pointed out that his client was born on August 15, 1932 and he had served as a Post Graduate Assistant Teacher at Gandhi Niketan Higher Secondary School in T. Kallupatti near here before his retirement from service on superannuation on August 31, 1990.

He had been in receipt of monthly pension since his retirement and the amount was also revised periodically as per the norms.

Sudden reduction

Though he was receiving Rs.22,796 till September this year, the amount was suddenly reduced by Rs.1,000 in the month of October forcing the petitioner to make enquiries.

It was only after a clarification was sought from the Assistant Treasury Officer that the order under challenge was passed stating that it had been decided to recover Rs.2.08 lakh from his pension, he claimed and assailed the correctness of the order on many grounds including violation of natural justice.

“I did not commit any wrong or misrepresentation or fraud but the respondents have issued the order without informing me. I have already crossed 83 years and depending only on my pension amount… Now, there is no alternative remedy except approaching this court,” the petitioner said in his affidavit.

Sources: http://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/Madurai/high-court-comes-to-rescue-of-83yearold-pensioner/article7926369.ece?css=print