In a historic verdict, the Himachal Pradesh High Court has settled a long-standing anomaly regarding the pension of retired non-official Chairpersons and Members of the Public Service Commission (PSC). The judgment could set a national precedent, empowering former PSC members across states to claim their rightful pension benefits.

As per existing norms, those Chairpersons and Members hailing from the bureaucracy, armed forces, or similar government backgrounds receive pensions under service regulations. However, another category — comprising advocates, corporate executives, journalists, and others — falls outside the ambit of such benefits. This exclusion has led to significant post-retirement hardships for many distinguished individuals.

Article 316 of the Constitution bars former PSC Members from accepting post-retirement assignments to preserve the neutrality of the UPSC and state PSCs. Ironically, while this restriction was meant to uphold dignity, it ended up depriving non-officials of financial security after retirement. Due to spirit of........

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