Jammu: The president of the Central Government Pensioners’ Welfare Association Jammu, Kuldeep Khoda has written to the prime minister, raising serious concerns over the terms of reference of the 8th Central Pay Commission and recent amendments related to pension laws.
The letter has been also sent to the Union Finance Minister, Minister of State for Pensions and the chairperson of the Central Pay Commission (CPC).
In his representation, Khoda said the notified (terms of reference) ToR of the 8th Pay Commission explicitly restricts its mandate to central government employees, effectively excluding existing pensioners and family pensioners from its scope.
“After the issuance of recent terms of reference (ToR) of 8th central pay commission (CPC) and subsequent developments especially with regard to pensioners apparently being left out of purview in TOR, several statements were given in clarification by finance minister and other ministers, suggesting that pay Commission will take care of the interests of pensioners.
“On December 2, 2025, the Finance Ministry clarified in the Rajya Sabha that pension is not excluded from the 8th CPC’s purview,” Khoda said in representation.
The former DGP pointed out that while government representatives have made assurances that pensioners’ interests would be protected, the ToR notified on November 3, 2025 do not reflect those assurances.
Referring to the Finance Bill, 2025, Khoda noted that amendments made to the central civil services (pension) rules retrospectively validate differential treatment of pensioners based on date of retirement.
He argued that such statutory changes override earlier judicial pronouncements and verbal assurances made on the floor of Parliament, and can only be altered through formal legislative amendments.
The CGPWA president also objected to the use of the term “unfunded cost of non-contributory pension schemes” in the ToR, stating that it is unprecedented and equates constitutionally protected pension rights with fiscal burdens.
He said pensions of MPs, judges and defence veterans are also non-contributory and funded from the Consolidated Fund of India, yet no such terminology is used for them.
Khoda cited repeated Supreme Court rulings, which have held that pension is a property right and deferred wage, and that pensioners form a single class which cannot be discriminated against on the basis of date of retirement. He warned that describing pensions as “unfunded costs” runs contrary to constitutional principles and settled law.
Highlighting the issue of additional pension for senior citizens, Khoda referred to the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Personnel, Public Grievances, Law and Justice, which in its 110th report recommended lowering the age for grant of additional pension through a revised tiered structure. He urged the government to implement the recommendation in toto to provide meaningful relief to elderly pensioners.
The representation also sought reconsideration of the rule restoring commuted pension only after 15 years, stating that the government recovers the commuted amount within 12 years and withholds restoration thereafter merely to earn interest.
The CGPWA urged the Centre to amend the ToR of the 8th CPC to explicitly include existing pensioners and family pensioners and ensure parity, dignity and social security for retired government employees.
