In Brief
V. Sukumaran, a casual labour register (CLR) worker, was later directly recruited through the Kerala Public Service Commission (KPSC) into permanent government service. He claimed entitlement to count his CLR service for pension calculation purposes. The High Court rejected his claim on technical grounds. The Supreme Court held that pension rules must be liberally construed as a social welfare measure to enable retired employees to live with dignity. The Court found no reason to deny pension benefits on technicalities, especially where the employee had earned advancement through competitive merit. The Court allowed the appeal, directing pension calculation to include CLR service period, with arrears to be paid within eight weeks with applicable interest."
The lawyer headnote and full judgment text are available to registered users.