The Allahabad High Court has dismissed a petition filed by the teachers and staff of Govind Ballabh Pant Social Science Institute, Prayagraj, seeking extension of the GPF-cum-Pension Scheme on the lines of Central University employees. The Court held that merely because the Institute has become a constituent institution of the University of Allahabad, its employees do not automatically acquire any right to Central Government pensionary benefits.
The Court clarified that the Pant Institute continues to be an autonomous body, jointly funded by the Central and State Governments. The Central Civil Services (Pension) Rules are not automatically applicable to the Institute, nor is there any provision that grants its employees entitlement to the GPF-cum-Pension Scheme.
Referring to its findings, the Court observed:
“……….only on ground that institution become constituent of Allahabad University, petitioners cannot be granted benefit of General Provident Fund Scheme since it has to be granted only on basis of relevant provisions which are not applicable in the present case in favour of petitioners…..… even after the institution become constituent of Allahabad University, it still remain autonomous…….. Therefore also, there is no absolute right that petitioners may be granted benefit of General Provident Fund Scheme.”
The judgment was delivered by Justice Saurabh Shyam Shamshery (Single Bench) while dismissing the writ petition filed by Prof Dr. S. K. Pant & others.
Although the petitioners relied on the Supreme Court decisions in Delhi University vs Shashi Kiran and Indian Council of Social Science Research (ICSSR) vs Neetu Gaur to claim entitlement to the old pension scheme, the High Court held that those rulings did not apply to the present case.
The Court also noted that a similar claim raised earlier by retired employees of Banaras Hindu University had already been rejected by both a Single Judge and a Division Bench of the High Court. Since the factual circumstances were identical, no relief could be granted here either.
Case: Dr. S.K. Pant Professor and others vs Union of India and others
