Thiruvananthapuram: The Department of General Administration has issued an order allowing former government employees who later served as Public Service Commission (PSC) chairpersons or members to have their tenure with the PSC counted along with their government service for pension benefits. The government clarified that the directive was based on a High Court ruling. The order was issued last Friday by the department.

This latest directive follows an earlier decision to increase the pension of PSC chairpersons and members, and it results in yet another substantial hike in their pension amounts. As per the order, if a person who had served in government later took up a position as a PSC chairperson or member, their pension is now to be revised by including both their periods of service.

The decision was taken during the Cabinet meeting held on the May 7. Previously, retired government employees who were later appointed to the PSC could choose which service period they wished to consider for pension. Most had opted for their government service, which offered a higher pension at the time.

However, with the sharp increase in PSC pension benefits in recent years, three individuals approached the High Court seeking another opportunity to revise their earlier decision in favour of the now more lucrative PSC pension. The government’s latest move comes in response to the High Court ruling in this matter.

The petitioners — P. Jameela, Dr Greeshma Mathew, and Dr K. Usha — had retired as PSC officials but had initially opted for the government service pension. When the government rejected their request to change this decision, they approached the High Court, which ruled in their favour on 6 January 2025.

In their petition, the three highlighted that some former PSC members had already received revised pensions that accounted for both their PSC tenure and previous government service. The High Court took this into consideration and directed the government to make an appropriate decision. Based on this direction, the matter was placed before the Cabinet.

Since the High Court had clearly pointed out the inconsistency, the Finance Department advised against filing an appeal. Consequently, the government chose to proceed with the new decision. On 9 May, the Department of General Administration issued a notification implementing the order.

The new directive ensures that not only the three petitioners but also any other individuals in similar circumstances who wish to opt for the PSC pension will be granted the same pension restructuring.

As per the structure of the PSC, 50% of its members must be retired government employees. A person retiring from government service can typically serve as a PSC member for around five to six years. In this context, the government now plans to implement a comprehensive pension restructuring policy that combines both periods of service. The order also notes concerns that this could place a heavy financial burden on the state exchequer.