Pensioners send legal notice to Punjabi University

Ravneet Singh

Tribune News Service

Patiala, May 26

Pensioners of Punjabi University, Patiala, have sent a legal notice to the university over delay in crediting pension.

The pensioners have been protesting on the campus as the authorities released salary of employees for the month of April, but failed to provide retirement benefits.

The legal notice reads, “Retired employees in twilight of their life are heavily dependent upon monthly pension. In old age, majority of retired employees suffer from one or the other medical problem. It is out of this pension that retired employees bear their medical expenses.”

The pensioners said, “The Punjab and Haryana High Court has held in numerous cases that financial difficulty cannot be made a ground for delay/non-payment of pension.”

“Such an action results in violation of Right to Life guaranteed by Article 21 of the Constitution of India,” they said.

Dr Manjit Singh Nijjar, Registrar, Punjabi University, said they will look into the legal notice and will act accordingly.

He said, “Giving pension is our top priority. Even without receiving this legal notice, we have stopped all other payments. Pensions will be paid as soon as we have funds from our other sources, including fee and grants.”