Pension Benefits of VRS (Voluntary Retirement Scheme) and Resignation – Supreme Court Judgement

Reportable

IN THE SUPREME COURT OF INDIA
CIVIL APPELLATE JURISDICTION

Civil Appeal No. 9076 of 2019
@SLP (C) No. 6553 of 2018

BSES Yamuna Power Ltd.                                                                      …Appellant

Versus

Sh. Ghanshyam Chand Sharma & Anr.                              …Respondents

J U D G M E N T

Dr Dhananjaya Y Chandrachud, J

1.    By its order dated 26 May 2017 a Division Bench of the High Court of Delhi upheld the judgement of a Single Judge dated 21 March 2017 granting pensionary benefits to the first respondent. The judgement of the Single Judge directed the appellant to pay pensionary benefits to the first respondent on the ground that he had completed twenty years of service and had „voluntarily retired‟ and not „resigned‟ from service. The appellant challenges these findings in the present appeal.

 “On the issue of whether the first respondent has served twenty  years, we are  of  the  opinion  that  thequestion  is  of  nolegal  consequence  to  the  present dispute. Even  if  the  first  respondent  had  served  twenty  years,  under  Rule  26  of the  CCS  Pension Rules  his  past  service  stands  forfeited  upon  resignation. The first respondent is therefore not entitled to pensionary benefits. “