HYDERABAD: Justice Surepalli Nanda of the Telangana High Court on Monday directed the state government to consider and process the pensions of 52 ayurvedic medical officers within three weeks.
The petitioners, comprising ayurvedic medical officers working across the state, had approached the court seeking a direction to the state government to count their service rendered on a contract basis from 2002 to 2006 as part of their qualifying service for pension and other retirement benefits.
The officers contended that they had served in sanctioned posts under consolidated pay and should be treated on par with regularly appointed medical officers. They also cited previous judgments, including the Supreme Court ruling in Devarakonda Srilakshmi v. Government of Andhra Pradesh (October 26, 2021), to support their claim that temporary and contractual service should be counted towards pension benefits.
They argued that the inaction of the respondent authorities in this regard was unjust, arbitrary, and in violation of their constitutional rights under Articles 14, 16, 21, 39(d), 43, and 300A.
Justice Nanda, after examining the material facts and legal precedents, directed the Principal Secretary, Health department, the Ayush Commissioner, and the Finance Secretary to consider the request in accordance with the law.