Punjab: Court confiscated one third salary of Punjabi University Registrar

Punjab: The Punjab and Haryana High Court has ordered attachment of one-third salary of Punjabi University Patiala registrar Sanjiv Puri. The order was passed while taking cognizance of another petition filed by Punjabi University Retired Teachers Association (PUTA) for non-release of retirement benefits. The retired teaching faculty association members, most of whom are above 80 years of age, had approached the high court for release of pension on the due date every month due to months-long delay in payment of pension. Finally, the case was decided in July last year and directions were issued to the university to release the pension of the teaching faculty with 6 per cent interest.

“The authorities never bothered to honour the court’s decision,” said Jagbir Singh, president of the Joint Action Committee for Pensioners. The retired teaching faculty again approached the high court. In its fresh order, the court said, “In such circumstances, it is evident that without any reason and justification, the respondents are trying to delay the disbursement of retirement benefits and are not coming up with a proper stand in the court. Accordingly, one-third of the salary of the respondents shall remain attached until further orders,” the orders said. Meanwhile, Jagbir Singh condemned the registrar’s “unbridled tendency to repeatedly go against the law in defiance of not only the rights of retired teachers but also the reputation of the university”. The Punjabi University Retired Teachers Association (PUTA) was set up in 2020 by retired teachers as the university was not paying pensions to retirees.