Judicial Officers’ Pension: Unified Pension Scheme Notified, Centre Tells SC

The Centre on Wednesday informed the Supreme Court that it recently notified the Unified Pension Scheme which might address the concerns of judicial officers.
A bench of Justices B R Gavai and Augustine George Masih heard the submission made by the Centre’s counsel.
Attorney general R Venkataramani and solicitor general Tushar Mehta appeared for the Centre and apprised the bench about the Unified Pension Scheme (UPS). The matter relates to the applicability of the New Pension Scheme to the officers of the district judiciary.
“It is the submission of the attorney general as well as the solicitor general that the Unified Pension Scheme may address concerns of all the employees, including the judicial officers,” observed the bench.
The court therefore found it appropriate to defer the matter for some time to experience how the Unified Pension Scheme worked and then take a call on the issues at hand.
The matter would be heard after 12 weeks.
The case raises concerns over the disbursement of pension to officers of the district judiciary and retired high court judges.
The top court is dealing with salaries, arrears and allowances of the officers of district judiciary.
The finance ministry notified the UPS on January 25 and it promises an assured pension of 50 per cent of the average basic pay drawn over the last 12 months prior to superannuation.
UPS would be applicable to Central government employees who were covered under the National Pension System and chose the option under the system, according to a gazette notification issued by the finance ministry.
UPS or assured payout would not be available in case of removal or dismissal from service or resignation of the employee, as per the notification published on January 25.
The notification, issued on January 24, says the rate of full assured payout will be 50 per cent of 12 monthly average basic pay, immediately prior to superannuation subject to a minimum qualifying service of 25 years against a market returns linked payout under the NPS.
The notification offers the option to 23 lakh government employees to choose between UPS and NPS, which came into effect on January 1, 2004. (Agencies)