Former Pensions Chief, others file writ petition against suspension of increments

On Jul 13, 2021

A writ petition filed by 95 pensioners including the former Pensions Director General challenging government’s the decision to suspend the increments for pensioners who retired during the period from January 1, 2016 to December 31, 2019 was yesterday fixed for support by the Court of Appeal. The Court of Appeal two-judge-Bench comprising Justice Sobhitha Rajakaruna and Justice Dhammika Ganepola fixed the petition to be taken up for support on July 27.

Former Pensions Director General K.A.Thilakarathne and 94 others filed this petition naming 20 persons including the Prime Minister and Cabinet of Ministers as respondents. The petitioners are seeking an interim order to revise the monthly pension of public officers who retired during the period from January 1, 2016 to December 31, 2019.

The petitioners stated that the new salary scale introduced by the Public Administration Circular No. 03/2026 had granted a salary increase for all public officers in five phases. The petitioners state that the Public Administration Ministry had issued the Circular No. 35/2016 (1) dated 20.01.2020 stating that the Cabinet of Ministers at its meeting held on January 2, 2020 decided to suspend the operation of Circular N.35/2019 dated 10:12:2019 until the anomalies pertaining to all the pensioners are resolved according to the policies of the new government.