HC Orders Pension Under Old Scheme for Retired Peon Narender Kumar
Shimla | August 8, 2025
In a major relief to a retired government employee, the Himachal Pradesh High Court has directed the state to grant pension under the Old Pension Scheme (OPS) to Narender Kumar, a former peon, by counting his work-charge service from January 1, 2000 toward qualifying service.
Justice Sandeep Sharma, while allowing CWP No. 193 of 2024, held that service in work-charge status must be considered for pension eligibility, even if regularization happened after the OPS cut-off date of May 15, 2003.
Narender Kumar, who joined as a daily wager in 1990, was given work-charge status in 2000 and regularized in 2006. He retired in 2017.
Despite over 17 years of combined service, he was denied pension on the grounds that he was covered under the New Pension Scheme (NPS).
The court rejected the state’s objection and cited Supreme Court rulings in Prem Singh and Tarsem Singh, confirming that work-charge service qualifies for pension under CCS (Pension) Rules, 1972.
The state has been directed to release OPS pension within two months, subject to refund of NPS contributions, failing which 6% annual interest will apply.
