The case concerns the entitlement of pre-2006 retirees to 50% of last pay drawn.
The Kerala High Court allowed the entitlement in favour of the individual petitioner, while holding that the Association, though a petitioner, had no locus standi to espouse the cause.
DOT did not implement even the relief granted to the individual petitioner and has challenged the High Court judgment before the Supreme Court.
Separately, AIBSNLPWA filed its own SLP before the Supreme Court specifically on the question of its locus/standing to espouse the cause of its members.
In AIBSNLPWA's SLP, notice had already been issued.
In the present DOT SLP (Diary No. 47131/2026), the Supreme Court has now condoned the delay and ordered notice to be issued.
Thus, both matters will now be heard together, bringing the question of the Association's locus and the underlying challenge to the High Court judgment before the Supreme Court together.

The Supreme Court of India has listed the case SLP(C) No. SCIN010263952026, filed by the All India Pensioners Association against the Union of India and The Secretary, concerning service laws and retiral benefits/pension. The matter was last heard on 03 September 2026 before Hon’ble Mr. Justice Ahsanuddin Amanullah and Hon’ble Mr. Justice Manmohan. The case remains pending at the motion hearing stage and is tentatively scheduled for its next listing on 01 October 2026.
 

District Conference was held on 07-09-2026 under the Presidentship of Com. K. Chandrasekhar.

Com. V. Varaprasad, General Secretary, CHQ, briefed members on Pension Revision and the Validation Act, while Com. D. Venkateswara Rao, Circle Secretary, AP, spoke on family pension conversion and organisational issues. Com. M. R. Patnaik, Vice-President, CHQ, highlighted District Branch activities.

The following were unanimously elected:

President: K. Chandrasekhar
Secretary: K. Somasundarrao
Treasurer: P. Baburao

District Conference was held on 6 September 2026 under the presidency of Com. T. S. Prakasarao.

Com. V. Varaprasad, General Secretary; Com. D. Venkateswara Rao, Circle Secretary have attended and addressed; Com. K. V. D. Swamy and Com. D. Subbarao, ACSs; and Com. G. Bhaskararao, DS, also spoke. 

The following office-bearers were unanimously elected:

- DP: Com. T. S. Prakasarao
- DS: Com. G. Bhaskararao
- Treasurer: Com. K. Sugunakarao

PP 2026 No 5 Full 32 pages.pdf       
 

pp 2026 NO 5 Hindi pages.pdf
 

CASE STATUS – AS PER SUPREME COURT WEBSITE

The case filed by the National Coordination Committee of Pensioners Associations & Others vs. Union of India, challenging the Validation Act affecting pensioners, is pending before the Hon’ble Supreme Court.

The case is registered as W.P.(C) No. 1057/2025. AIBSNLPWA is one of the petitioner associations.

The matter was listed on 25-08-2026 and is presently shown as Pending – After Notice (For Admission).

The case is tentatively likely to be listed again on 25-09-2026.

The 18th Formation Day of our Association and the 7th Biennial District Conference of Bangalore District were held on 23rd August 2026 at the Open Air Auditorium, CGM Office premises, Bangalore, in a grand manner.

Com. D. Gopalakrishnan, CHQ President, and Shri Sathish Kumar, Jt. CCA, Karnataka, were the Chief Guests. CHQ and Circle Office Bearers attended the conference.

The following comrades were unanimously elected as the new District Office Bearers:

1. Com. K. Ramganayakulu – District President
2. Com. R. Janardhan Rao – District Secretary
3. Com. K. Deepak – District Treasurer 
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Deeply Sad News
Com. M. C. Sharma, former Circle Secretary, AIBSNLPWA M.P. Circle and former SDE, GMTD Bhopal, passed away on 23-08-2026 at Sagar Hospital, Bhopal, due to a heart attack.
AIBSNLPWA CHQ conveys its heartfelt condolences to the bereaved family and colleagues. We offer our humble and heartfelt tributes to Com. M. C. Sharma.

Anantapur District Conference was successfully held on 19 August 2026, with the participation of around 250 members.

Com. V. Vara Prasad, All India General Secretary; Com. D. Venkateswara Rao, AP Circle Secretary; Com. M. Rajasekhar Reddy, CHQ AGS; Com. Subhan, AP Circle ACS; and the Principal General Manager, BSNL, Anantapur addressed the gathering.

The speakers highlighted the major issues concerning BSNL pensioners and the activities and ongoing struggles of the Association.

New District Office-Bearers Elected Unanimously

- District President: Com. S. Shivaiah
- District Secretary: Com. O. Babaiah
- District Treasurer: Com. V. Subramanyachary

Dear Comrades and Members of AIBSNLPWA,

On the proud occasion of the 17th Anniversary of the All India BSNL Pensioners’ Welfare Association (AIBSNLPWA), I extend my warm greetings and best wishes to all members and their families.

On 20 August 2009 at Chennai, AIBSNLPWA was founded with a clear mission—to provide a common platform for BSNL pensioners and to safeguard their rights, dignity, welfare and legitimate interests.

From the beginning, we built AIBSNLPWA as a “Rainbow Organisation”, bringing together pensioners from different services and organisational backgrounds.

Our All India Conferences have been held at Jaipur (2012), Bengaluru (2015), Puri (2018), Visakhapatnam (2022) and Kochi (2025). The Association has grown into a strong national organisation with membership crossing 84,500, thanks to the dedicated efforts of our members at the grassroots, branch and district levels.

Our Major Achievements

1. Pension Revision for Pre-2007 Retirees

After the 2007 pay revision, pre-2007 retirees were initially denied pension revision. Through sustained efforts, the closed file was reopened, a Cabinet Note was processed and DoT issued pension revision orders on 15 March 2011. This established an important precedent for pension revision of absorbed BSNL pensioners.

2. Pension Anomaly of Early BSNL Retirees

We successfully pursued the pension anomaly affecting those who retired during the initial months of BSNL. After victories before the PB CAT and High Court, followed by contempt proceedings, orders were issued in October 2021, benefiting more than 4,000 pensioners with substantial arrears.

3. Removal of the 60:40 Condition

While pursuing the 78.2% IDA revision, AIBSNLPWA also succeeded in getting the 60:40 condition removed, with valuable support from the then Union Minister Shri Ananth Kumar.

These achievements demonstrate what unity, persistence and collective action can accomplish.

Pension Revision from 01-01-2017 – Our Present Struggle

After years of representations, discussions and political efforts, we approached the PB CAT in September 2020. The Tribunal delivered a favourable judgment in September 2023.

The Department challenged the judgment before the Delhi High Court, which unfortunately delivered an adverse judgment on 01 July 2026.

The judgment comprises 273 paragraphs and, in our considered view, raises serious issues of interpretation and contains internal contradictions.

The Legal Battle Must Continue

The High Court judgment is not the end of the legal battle. If left unchallenged, it may adversely affect the legitimate claim of BSNL pensioners for pension revision from 01-01-2017.

The Supreme Court is the final judicial authority on questions of law. Therefore, the judgment must be challenged before the Supreme Court to take the matter to its logical conclusion.

Action to file an SLP before the Supreme Court has already been initiated by the Association. We are committed to placing all relevant facts, statutory provisions, earlier judgments and legal issues before the Supreme Court, with the best possible legal representation.

Key Issues Arising from the High Court Judgment

The central basis of the High Court judgment is its interpretation of Rule 37A. The Court has held, in substance, that Rule 37A provides the framework for calculation and fixation of pension at the time of retirement, but does not confer a continuing right to future pension revision under the 7th CPC. The Court has also relied upon the view that, after absorption in BSNL, employees ceased to be Central Government employees and became governed by the IDA/PRC framework, and therefore cannot claim CPC-based pension revision in the absence of corresponding pay revision.

This interpretation is precisely what requires examination before the Supreme Court.

Rule 37A was specifically introduced under Article 309 of the Constitution to protect the pension rights of DoT employees absorbed in BSNL. The Government had assured the employees that their pension would continue to be paid by the Government from the Consolidated Fund of India even after absorption.

Nothing in the provision or the Government’s assurance states that such pension would be frozen permanently at the level prevailing on the date of retirement.

The High Court has also relied upon the PRC/CPC distinction. Our claim, however, is not for pay revision of serving employees; it is for revision of pension of existing pensioners.

There was no specific provision for pension revision in the Terms of Reference of the Third PRC. Even when DoT proposed inclusion of pension revision in the Third PRC Terms of Reference, DPE did not agree to its inclusion.

Therefore, pension revision cannot simply be rejected merely on the ground that BSNL employees were governed by the PRC.

The fundamental question before the Supreme Court will be whether Rule 37A can be narrowly confined to pension fixation at the time of retirement, or whether its protective purpose requires continuing protection of the Government pension rights of absorbed DoT employees, including legitimate subsequent pension revision, unless specifically excluded by law.

Our Resolve

AIBSNLPWA has never accepted injustice as final. Our record shows a consistent path:

Representation -----  Negotiation ------ Administrative Intervention ----- Legal Action

The present challenge is serious, but our resolve must be stronger. Let us ensure that the SLP is pursued effectively and that our legitimate claim for pension revision from 01-01-2017 reaches its logical conclusion.

On this 17th Anniversary, let us remember with gratitude our founding leaders, office-bearers, activists and comrades whose contributions built this organisation.

Let us strengthen our grassroots organisation and maintain unity, discipline and mutual respect.

Seventeen years have passed, but our mission continues.

Let us move forward with confidence, unity and determination, safeguarding the legitimate interests of present and future generations of BSNL pensioners.

Long Live AIBSNLPWA

Long Live the Unity of BSNL Pensioners

Warm greetings and best wishes to all members and their families on the 17th Anniversary of AIBSNLPWA.

General Secretary