STATE OF GUJARAT Vs. KALHANS HARIAL PATEL

JUDGEMENT

(1.) Pension is not a 'bounty'. Several rounds of litigation, though have concluded the issue on hand, present respondents - Senior Citizens who have rendered selfless service in the academic field as members of the teaching and non-teaching staff have been deprived of their right of earning pension. Though, unequivocally held by catena of decisions of the Apex Court as well as this Court, which this judgement only reiterates, respondents - original petitioners have had no option other than to be compelled to litigate for their rights because the State which is considered as a model employer still resists their claim for pension on the ground that such members had not exercised their options for pension.

(2.) In these batches of appeals before us, judgements rendered in four separate batches of petitions filed by the original petitioners - teaching/non teaching staff of different educational institutions are under challenge before us. They are :

(3.) The facts of the respective lead petitions as set out by the learned Single Judges in their respective judgements are reproduced hereinbelow, in order to avoid duplicity.