SAJEEVAN C. B. Vs. UNION OF INDIA

JUDGEMENT

(1.) The petitioners were in service of the 4th respondent, the Co-operative Bank, till their superannuation. The employees of the 4th respondent are covered under the provisions of the Employees Provident Fund and Miscellaneous Provisions Act, 1952 (the Act) and the Employees Pension Scheme, 1995. The dispute in this writ petition was the refusal of the EPF to grant the benefit of two years' weightage to the pensionable service rendered under the 1995 Scheme as well as the Scheme before them.

(2.) The learned counsel for the petitioners submits that pending the writ petition, all the petitioners, 24 in number, except the 18th petitioner have been granted the benefits. The reason put forth by the respondents for not granting a similar benefit to the 18th petitioner is that he had only 19 years of service.

(3.) Under such circumstances, I am inclined to close the writ petition by giving liberty to the 18th petitioner to approach the authorities to contest the refusal of the respondents to grant the weightage, if so advised. If an application is made by the 18th petitioner in that regard, the same will be considered without any further delay. Subject to the above, the writ petition is closed as infructuous.