Retired employees of the state government have expressed concern over the delay in the implementation of the orders of the Himachal Pradesh High Court regarding their long-pending pension and retirement dues and urged the state government and the Chief Minister to ensure a time-bound settlement of the issue.
Brij Bhushan Aggarwal, chief coordinator of the Association of State Corporate Sector Retired In-Service Employees Officers Welfare Body, Himachal Pradesh, said that several retired employees had been waiting for their legitimate benefits for years though they had made repeated representations to the government authorities and judicial forums.
The matter dates back to 2010, when a group of retired government employees filed a case (CWP No. 5449) in the High Court, seeking relief regarding their pensionary rights. In 2018, the issue was taken up with the National Human Rights Commission, which directed the state Chief Secretary to take appropriate action under the HP Civil Services (Pension) Rules, 1972, particularly amended Rule 37-A.
A collective representation submitted to the Speaker of the Himachal Pradesh Vidhan Sabha in April 2023 was forwarded to the Chief Minister through a DO note dated May 9, 2023. However, the retired employees said that the issue was still unresolved.
They again approached the High Court in 2024. According to the association, the court decided the matter in the favour of the petitioners on August 25, 2025, and issued time-bound directions to the authorities concerned for compliance with Rule 37-A.
“Pension is not charity or an ex-gratia payment but a statutory retirement benefit earned through years of service. Retired employees should not be compelled to repeatedly approach departments or courts for benefits already recognised under the rules and judicial orders,” Aggarwal said.
The association urged the Chief Minister to intervene in the matter and direct the departments, corporations and financial authorities concerned to comply with the High Court directions and release all admissible outstanding dues.
It also specifically highlighted the responsibility of the authorities, including the Director, Tourism and Civil Aviation and Managing Director, Himachal Pradesh Tourism Development Corporation (HPTDC), in ensuring compliance.
Aggarwal said that the prolonged delay in the payment of pension dues was causing hardships to elderly people and appealed to the government to bring the matter, pending for years, to its logical conclusion.
