NEW DELHI: Refusing to accept the Centre’ sealed cover note issue, the bench of Chief Justice D Y Chandrachud and Justices P S Narasimha and J B Pardiwala. said, “We need to put an end to this sealed cover practice in the Supreme Court. This is fundamentally contrary to basic process of fair justice.”
“I am personally averse to sealed covers. There has to be transparency in court… This is about implementing orders. What can be secret here,” the CJI said.
The bench noted that out of 25 lakh pensioners, four lakh did not qualify for the OROP scheme as they were getting enhanced pensions and the Centre proposed to pay the arrears by April 30, 2023.
The bench is currently hearing the Indian Ex-Servicemen Movement’s (IESM) plea over payment of OROP dues. The apex court, on March 13, came down heavily on the government for “unilaterally” deciding to pay OROP dues in four instalments..
Reducing the time limit to February 28 next year, the bench gave the time schedule for payment of arrears to different groups of pensioners under the OROP scheme.