Dear friends,
It is true that there is a Judgment of Hon'ble Supreme Court with respect to payment of Dearness Allowance to Employees and Pensioners at different rates. Hon'ble Supreme Court has found that such payment is discriminatory and the Hon'ble Court ordered payment of Dearness Relief at the same rate. Unfortunately, we have seen applying this Judgment to our pending claims. I have seen a message seeking changing the periodicity from six months to three months as being paid to employees and payment of Dearness Relief uniformally at 8088 points.
I really do not know, whether authors do not know that such a comparision and application is not permissible or applicable to our case on hand. Either we have to challenge the provision in Pension Regulations which allows payment of Dearness Relief being paid at the same rate which was applicable to the employees at that particular period or and challenge the same in this regard calling it as discriminatory or seek payment of uniform Dearness Relief, irrespective of their date of retirement.invoking discrimination.
But, the facts and circumstances in the case which was before Hon'ble Supreme Court and our case are completely different. Provision relating to payment of Dearness Relief in Central/State/Reserve Bank of India is absent in Pension Regulations, but the same is available in Regulation 37 - Appendix II of our Regulations. Therefore, payment of Dearness Relief is a vested/accrued statutory right and is covered under Articles 21 and 300-A. Basis for payment of Dearness Relief to Central/State Government Pensioners is Orders/Administrative instructions of the Government with due approval of the Cabinet each time it is revised with due approval in the Cabinet meeting. I would like to recall memories to decision of the Central Government not to revise Dearness Allowance/Relief to Government Pensioners during the Covid times. This decidion had approval of even Courts.
Dearness Relief as per Pension Regulations is paid in terms of Appendix - II and he, at the same rate as applicable to employees at the time of their retirement. There is neither discrimination nor the method of payment of Dearness Relief in Banks does not come under the sweep of Judgment being referred to.
Therefore, what is the objective of those who are propogating regarding applicability of the Supreme Court Judgment is either to place themselves as a fighter fighting for the Pensioners or they themselves not aware of correct legal positition. It is sad that Bank Pensioners falling into trap.
Bank Pensioners should stop believing those who are misrepresenting or misguiding. They should not believe anyone or everyone who saysthey are entitled to some benefit misquoting facts. They are requested to verify correctness. I do not want to become a 'Sheep'. While drafting a Writ Petition, I found analysis ofHon'ble Supreme Court,which I am extracting here. Please identify who is misrepresenting or who is playing fraud. In terms of the Judgment, even those who keep quite, when some one is saying something which is false, fully knowing that it is false is also a fraud. Reason for keeping quite may be not to displease or wants to show up as warrior or crusader or fighter. Many a time, I am sharing my views because I do not want to keep quite, when I feel, what is being said is false. Following para is extracted from the Judgment of Hon'ble Supreme Court:
QUOTE:
"43. A
perusal of the definition of the word “fraud”, as defined in Section 17 of the
Contract Act, would reveal that the concept of fraud is very wide. It includes
any suggestion, as a fact, of that which is not true, by a person who
does or does not believe it to be true. It may be contrasted with Section
18(1) of the Contract Act which, inter alia, defines “misrepresentation”. It
provides that it is misrepresentation if a positive assertion is made by a
person of that which is not true in a manner which is not warranted by the
information which he has. This is despite the fact that he may believe
it to be true. In other words, in fraud, the person who makes an untruthful
suggestion, does not himself believe it to be true. He knows it to be not true,
yet he makes a suggestion of the fact as if it were true. In misrepresentation,
on the other hand, the person making misrepresentation believes it to be true.
But the law declares it to be misrepresentation on the basis of information
which he had and what he believed to be true was not true. Therefore, the
representation made by him becomes a misrepresentation as it is a statement
which is found to be untrue. Fraud is committed if a person actively conceals a
fact, who either knows about the fact or believes in the existence of the fact.
The concealment must be active. It is here that mere silence has been explained
in the Exception which would affect the decision of a person
who enters into a contract to be not fraud unless the circumstances are such
that it becomes his duty to speak. His silence itself may amount to speech. A
person may make a promise without having any intention to perform it.
It is fraud. The law further declares that any other act fitted to
deceive, is fraud. So also, any act or omission, which the law declares to
be fraudulent, amounts to fraud. Running as a golden trend however and as a
requirement of law through the various limbs of Section 17 of the Contract Act,
is the element of deceit. A person who stands accused of fraud be it in a civil
or criminal action, must entertain an intention to commit deception. Deception
can embrace various forms and it is a matter to be judged on the facts of each
case. It is, apparently, on account of these serious circumstances that fraud
has on a legal relationship or a purported legal relationship that the
particulars and details of fraud are required if pleaded in a civil suit or a
proceeding to which the CPC applies".
Thanks, a Million.
With regards,
Prasad C N