Members of the All India Civil Pensioners Forum held a protest rally and sit-in at Chaura Maidan in Shimla on Wednesday, opposing recent changes proposed by the Central Government on pension revision. The protest demanded pension revision for all pensioners, including those who retired before January 2026, and the restoration of 50 per cent Dearness Relief (DR).
During the protest rally, pensioners stated that if their demands are ignored, they will intensify their protest through legal action and street protests in the coming days.
Jagmohan Thakur, a representative of the All India Civil Pensioners Forum in Himachal Pradesh, said the Finance Bill passed in the last week of March 2024–25 and later notified through a gazette has raised serious concerns among pensioners.
“Our pension is not charity. It is our fundamental right, and we will fight for it on the streets and in the courts,” Thakur said.
“The government has passed the Finance Bill and even issued a gazette notification. It states that the 8th Central Pay Commission (CPC) will categorise pensioners. Those retiring before January 2026 will not get pension revision, while those retiring after that date will get the benefit. This categorisation is unacceptable to us,” Thakur said.
Thakur also condemned the Terms of Reference of the 8th CPC, saying they are unclear and confusing.
“A strange thing has been done in the Terms of Reference. Even the cut-off date is not clearly mentioned. Nobody knows what date will be considered. We are demanding that the date be clearly specified and that all pensioners must get pension revision, irrespective of their retirement date. This is our main demand,” he said.
He said pensioners at both state and central levels are being mobilised to resist what he called a serious threat to pension rights.
“State pensioners are fighting with state governments, and we are fighting with the Central Government. The attack on central pensioners is more dangerous. The demands of state pensioners are genuine, and they should get DA, but our pension itself is under threat. To fight this danger, all pensioners will unite,” he said.
Outlining future plans, Thakur announced that a long sit-in protest will be held in Shimla on January 9.
“On the one hand, MLAs are getting pensions of Rs. 1.10 lakh, which are being raised to nearly Rs. 3 lakh. Everything is being done for them, but when it comes to pensioners, every government–whether A or B–feels our pension is a burden. We work throughout our lives, and now we are forced to fight for our rights,” he added.
Thakur referred to the historic DS Nakara judgment of 1982, stating that pension is a constitutional right and not a government handout.
“The government did not give us any charity. Pension is our right under Articles 14 and 21 of the Constitution. It is earned through our service, and we will not allow it to be snatched away. We will fight on the streets, in courts, and even in the Supreme Court,” he further added.
He also said that a related matter has already reached the Supreme Court. “The case has been admitted and the hearing is scheduled for January 5. We will fight this battle both among the people and in the courts. Our struggle is difficult because pensioners are scattered, but we will organise ourselves,” Thakur said.
He stressed that nearly 10 lakh families in Himachal Pradesh alone are connected to pensioners, making it an issue of wide public concern.
Referring to the history of pension struggles in India, he said that the first pay panel in 1946 fixed the maximum pension at Rs 600, with no change in the second pay panel.
He said the third pay panel raised the maximum pension to Rs 1,000, followed by a major struggle in 1968. After 1979, pension was fixed at 50 per cent of basic pay, but those who retired before 1979 were denied this benefit.
Thakur said two retired defence personnel, DS Nakara and Surender Shetty, challenged this discrimination in court.
“Their pensions were fixed at Rs 906 and Rs 931. On December 17, 1982, the Supreme Court delivered a landmark judgment, after which everyone began receiving pension at 50 per cent of basic pay along with DA. This right was given by the court, and we will not allow Parliament to take it away,” he said.
The protesters demanded that the Terms of Reference of the 8th Central Pay Commission be amended to clearly include pension revision for pensioners who retired before 2026.
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