OROP: SC notice to govt. on revision

The Indian Ex-servicemen Movement (IESM) and others have challenged the government’s policy of periodic review of pension once in five years.

In this May 03, 2016 file photo, A scene at Ex-Servicemen's protest dharna site at Jantar Mantar who demand 'one rank one pension (OROP)', in New Delhi.

The Supreme Court on Monday sought the Centre's response on a plea to implement One Rank-One Pension (OROP) as recommended by the Koshyari Committee with an automatic annual revision, instead of the current policy of periodic review once in five years.

A bench of Justices Dipak Misra and C. Nagappan issued notice and sought the response from the government in eight weeks.

On December 19, 2011, the report of Rajya Sabha's Petition Committee, then headed by Bhagat Singh Koshyari, had rejected all reservations of the government while “recommending” OROP.

The Indian Ex-servicemen Movement (IESM) said the government's policy of periodic review of pension once in five years would dilute the February 26, 2014 announcement by which the revision in pension was to automatically pass on to the past pensioners on an annual basis.

“OROP is the uniform desire of all three defence services. Ex-servicemen are presently drawing pension that is not consistent with their rank and/or length of service... the pension of past pensioners be automatically and contemporaneously enhanced, whenever there is any future increase or enhancement in the rates of pension,” the petition said.

It further said the government should be directed to fix the pension on the basis of highest pension of financial year 2014-15 and not 2013.