Advocate Jandhyala Ravi Shankar has filed a petition in the High Court of Andhra Pradesh against G.O. 26 (relating to deferment of salaries and pensions) that was issued by the State Government on March 31.
The petition came up for hearing on Tuesday and was conducted via video-conference. Chief Justice Jitendra Kumar Maheswari granted one week’s time to the Advocate General to respond.
Mr. Ravi Shankar contended that the Government of Andhra Pradesh has no jurisdiction to issue the executive instructions for deferment of pension.
“There is no provision in the Epidemic Diseases Act, 1897, or the Disaster Mangement Act, 2005 or regulations framed under the Epidemic Diseases Act, 1897 which empowers the government to curtail the rights of the pensioners to receive full pension or as a matter of fact defer salaries. Therefore, the impugned G.O. is liable to struck down,” Mr. Ravi Shankar said in his petition.
“I earnestly request the honourable court of the Chief Justice to consider the issue and if satisfied, may consider taking up the matter as a suo motu Public Interest Litigation so as to protect the life and liberties guaranteed to the government pensioners under the Constitution of India,” he said.
