The Telangana High Court on Monday directed the State government to release all the financial benefits to all retired State government employees by April 9.
The court was hearing a batch of 644 contempt of court petitions filed by retired employees of the State government who contended that the government failed to comply with the orders of the HC to release their statutory monetary benefits following their superannuation
The benefits included gratuity, pension and provident fund related sums. They filed separate contempt of court cases as the government failed to release the money to them despite specific directions from the HC. Justice Namavarapu Rajeshwar Rao, who earlier issued Form-I notice to the Principal Secretary of Finance Sandeep Kumar Sultania on February 9, expressed dissatisfaction over the absence of Sultania when the hearing began on Monday.
The judge sought to know from the government counsel, who said a dispense with appearance petition was filed on behalf of the Principal Secretary of Finance since he was occupied with the budgetary session of the Assembly, why the petition was not filed in advance. Justice Rajeshwara Rao reminded the government counsel that several retired employees had been pleading with the court for past several months about release of their pensionary benefits.
