Karnataka HC Upholds Rule 247-A Qualifying-Service Credit For 10 Retired Panchayat Staff Under Rules In Force At Retirement

Respondents 1–10, retired government employees, obtained relief from the Karnataka State Administrative Tribunal, which interpreted Rule 247-A of the Karnataka Civil Services Rules (KCSRs) as applicable on each employee’s date of retirement and granted additional qualifying service for pension purposes.

The State petitioned under Articles 226 and 227 to quash the Tribunal’s order dated 17 August 2022 in Application Nos. 11243–11252/2021.

The High Court considered a Division Bench decision dated 31 October 2025 addressing the same issue.

Rule 6 of the KCSRs provides that pension is governed by the rules in force when a government servant retires or is discharged; accordingly, pension and qualifying service are determined under the applicable rules at retirement.

Rule 247-A provides for additional qualifying service, subject to the limits specified in the version in force at the relevant time; the governing version is the one in force on the employee’s retirement date.

The Court followed the Division Bench ruling in W.P. No. 16582/2023 and connected matters, which applied these principles to Rule 247-A.

That ruling also referred to Chairman, Railway Board v. C.R. Rangadhamaiah, (1997) 6 SCC 623, on the distinction between permissible prospective changes to service rules and retrospective deprivation of benefits already granted or availed.

The Court noted that the Division Bench had already considered the interaction between Rules 6 and 247-A and held that additional qualifying service must be calculated under the version of Rule 247-A in force on the employee’s retirement date, when pension entitlement is determined.

Because the Tribunal’s order granted relief on that basis, the Court found no ground to interfere with it.

The Court left the Tribunal’s order undisturbed.