The Supreme Court was informed on Wednesday by the Centre that it has officially notified the Unified Pension Scheme (UPS), which is anticipated to meet the pension-related concerns of judicial officers across the country. This announcement came during a hearing before a bench comprised of Justices B R Gavai and Augustine George Masih.
Attorney General R Venkataramani and Solicitor General Tushar Mehta represented the Centre and detailed the features and potential impacts of the new scheme. The discussion primarily focused on the transition of judicial officers from the New Pension Scheme to this newly established framework.
“The Unified Pension Scheme may address concerns of all employees, including judicial officers,” the Attorney General stated, suggesting that the UPS could resolve ongoing issues related to pension adequacies and disbursements within the judiciary.
Given the recent implementation of the scheme, the Supreme Court decided to defer any immediate rulings on the matter, opting instead to observe the scheme’s effectiveness over the coming months. The case has been scheduled for a follow-up hearing in 12 weeks.
This matter is particularly significant as it addresses the pension arrangements for officers of the district judiciary and retired high court judges, who have been seeking clarity and improvement in their pension schemes. The UPS promises to provide an assured pension amounting to 50% of the average basic pay drawn during the last 12 months before retirement.
According to the finance ministry’s gazette notification dated January 25, the UPS will be available to central government employees who were previously covered under the National Pension System (NPS) and opt for this new scheme. However, the assured pension will not apply in cases of employee removal, dismissal, or resignation.
