Kochi: The Kerala High Court has directed to pay the pension arrears of the retired employees of the Kerala State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) by April 12. The HC further said that if the pension is not disbursed by then, the Chief Secretary and the Transport Secretary should appear before the court and give an explanation.

Justice Devan Ramachandran issued the order on a contempt of court petition filed by K Ashok Kumar, a native of Vakkom in Thiruvananthapuram, alleging that the previous order on the timely disbursal of pension was not being implemented.

After a batch of petitions questioned the pension disbursal being stalled, the court directed to pay the pension in the first week of the month or within the first 5 days, if possible. As neither the government nor KSRTC comply with this direction, the contempt petition was filed.

The HC also said that the KSRTC has been seeking time since March 16, to inform the court of its stance. When the petition was heard on March 20, one week's time was sought, stating that the steps were being taken to disburse pension and only the permission of certain departments had to be obtained. Time was sought again when the case came up for hearing on March 28 and 31. Two months of pension are pending now. 

It is in this scenario that the court directed Chief Secretary V P Joy and Transport Secretary Biju Prabhakar to appear in person if the pension is not disbursed within two days. The case will be taken up for hearing on Wednesday again.

 

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