‘Not bounty but right’: Rajasthan High Court restores retired official’s 100% pension

The Rajasthan High Court has overturned the decision to permanently withhold the pension of a retired public official, ruling that pension is not a "bounty" but a "statutory right." The official, a former Rajasthan Administrative Service (RAS) officer, was accused of making an erroneous judicial decision in Churu while serving as Deputy Director of Integrated Child Development Services and Officer-in-Charge of Prashasan Gaon Ke Sang Abhiyan in 2001.

The court found that the permanent withholding of his 100% pension was arbitrary and disproportionate, as it was imposed nearly 15 years after his retirement, more than 23 years after the incident, and without any evidence of corruption or dishonest intent. The court noted the inordinate delay in initiating disciplinary proceedings against the petitioner, as the chargesheet was served only on the day of his retirement, 15 years after the initial quasi-judicial order.

The High Court emphasized that pension is a valuable right earned by employees for their services, and its permanent deprivation is unacceptable.