In Brief
A retired Bank of India employee sought to join a pension scheme four months after the stipulated deadline expired, claiming he was unaware of the circular and had undergone surgery. The High Court's Division Bench allowed his writ petition based on the scheme's beneficial nature and compassion. The Supreme Court reversed this, holding that no legally protected right existed since the employee missed the deadline through his own negligence. The Court reaffirmed that writ powers under Article 226 are not available to the "tardy, indolent, and lethargic" and cannot be exercised on grounds of sympathy or grace. Accepting belated options would create chaos and unsettle the binding settlement between parties.
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