Shimla, April 24: In a significant relief to a lecturer, the Himachal Pradesh High Court has directed the State Government to decide on his long-pending plea for pension benefits within six weeks.
Justice Jyotsna Rewal Dua passed the order while hearing a petition filed by Kalam Singh, who had served on contract basis between April 1, 1995 and January 1, 2005 and is to retire on 30.04.2025.
Pleading his case his lawyer Kameshwar Dhaulta has sought that his decade-long contract service be counted for pensionary benefits, just as in the case of similarly placed lecturers whose claims were settled as per a previous court decision and government orders.
During the hearing, Deputy Advocate General Ms. Leena Guleria appeared on behalf of the State and waived the formal notice.
The petitioner had submitted a representation to the government on March 22, 2025, but it remained undecided.
The court observed that once a legal issue has already been adjudicated and a precedent exists, it is expected of a welfare state to address similar grievances without delay.
“Not taking decisions on such representations for months leads to unnecessary litigation and adds burden on the courts,” Justice Dua observed, reminding the government of its own Litigation Policy aimed at reducing unproductive legal battles.
The court directed the competent authority to decide Singh’s representation in accordance with the law within six weeks and to communicate the decision to him promptly.